spit take

Or spit-take

[spit-teyk]

noun

1. (in comedy) a sight gag in which an actor or comedian demonstrates surprise while drinking something by expelling a mouthful of the beverage in an exaggerated spray of liquid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spit take¹

First recorded in 2000–05; spit ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “to eject from the mouth” + take ( def. ) (in the sense “physical response expressing total wonderment”), on the model of double take ( def. )