verb
spew
spyoo
Spew (verb) means to eject or gush out forcefully in a stream. Example: “Thick smoke spewed from the factory chimney.”
verb
1
To eject or gush out forcefully in a stream.
"Thick smoke spewed from the factory chimney."
"Lava spewed from the volcano for hours."
2
To produce a large, careless stream of words, especially nonsense or hateful comments.
"He spewed insults at anyone who disagreed with him."
3
To vomit.
"She felt so sick on the boat that she spewed over the side."
How to use spew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo gush or shoot out forcefully — smoke, lava, words, or (informally) vomit.
When to use it
Using "spew" for vomiting is informal/slang.
Common pairings
spew smoke
spew nonsense
spew hate
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Word forms
- Plural
- spews
- Third person singular
- spews
- Past tense
- spewed, spewn
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Thick smoke _____ from the factory chimney.
Etymology
From Old English spīwan, from Proto-Germanic *spīwaną — related to English "spit" and German speien, all going back to an ancient root meaning "to spit or vomit."
Related words
Rhymes for spew
See all rhymes for spew →Frequently asked questions
What does “spew” mean?
The word “spew” means to eject or gush out forcefully in a stream. In plain terms, to gush or shoot out forcefully — smoke, lava, words, or (informally) vomit.
How do you pronounce “spew”?
“Spew” is pronounced spyoo (/spjuː/ in IPA).
How do you use “spew” in a sentence?
Here is “spew” used in a sentence: “Thick smoke spewed from the factory chimney.”
What part of speech is “spew”?
“Spew” is a verb.
Where does the word “spew” come from?
The word “spew” comes from Old English. From Old English spīwan, from Proto-Germanic *spīwaną — related to English "spit" and German speien, all going back to an ancient root meaning "to spit or vomit.".
How many meanings does “spew” have?
“Spew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to eject or gush out forcefully in a stream.
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