spitting image

the spitting image of (one)

A person who looks exactly like or bears a very strong resemblance to one. Wow, you are just the spitting image of your mother! I was about to call you by her name. That guy over there looks like the spitting image of someone I went to high school with.
See also: image, of, spit
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

spitting image

A precise resemblance, especially in closely related persons. For example, Dirk is the spitting image of his grandfather. This idiom alludes to the earlier use of the noun spit for "likeness," in turn probably derived from an old proverb, "as like as one as if he had been spit out of his mouth" (c. 1400). The current idiom dates from about 1900.
See also: image, spit
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

spitting image, the

An exact resemblance, usually said of parent and child or other close relatives. This term comes from the earlier spit and image, which, since spit meant “likeness,” was redundant. Nevertheless, it was widely used from the late nineteenth century on, and by the mid-twentieth century, probably through mispronunciation or misspelling, was converted to the current cliché.
See also: spit
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • the spitting image
  • the spitting image of (one)
  • spit and image of
  • the spit and image of (one)
  • be the spitting image of (one)
  • the spitten image of (one)
  • the spit of (one)
  • be the spit and image of (someone)
  • be the spitten image of (one)
  • spitten
References in periodicals archive
Spitting Image, the original satirical puppet show, was one of the most-watched TV shows of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Newcastle animator lands role in TV show dubbed 'spiritual successor' to Spitting Image; Newcastle dad Mike Giblin is working as an illustrator on new ITV satire Newzoids, where he has sketched some of the celebrity look-alikes
Thatcher protesters used one Spitting Image of the Iron Lady on their T-shirts last week.
'Puppet Maggie was a failure' Spitting Image creator speaks out
The Berlin wall was still standing when Spitting Image started.
PUPPET MASTERCLASS; MAGGIE AND CO GO UP FOR SALE; An auction of characters from the smash 80s show will bring back memories of a crazy, edgy and often hilarious take on politicians that feels light years from today's social media-led vitriol
I want to revamp all the royal portraits, and I just want an hour sitting with the Queen to create a spitting image Robert Newbiggin
Ex-boxer's portrait of the Queen is a knockout
Spitting Image, created in the Birmingham studios of Central Independent Television, won fans across the globe.
New Spitting Image back just in time for election!
Adrian Roose of PFC Auctions in Bristol said: "Spitting Image puppets have proven to be excellent investments over the years."
Thatch your lot in Spitting Image sales
Which is why I reckon it's time for the return of, yes, Spitting Image.
What a Spitty politicians aren't stars of satire show
If this goes on much longer, he will be the only star in the history of Hollywood to be the spitting image of Harold Steptoe.
Charlie is down in the mouth
The daughter of pop diva is the spitting image of her famous mother in the picture on the front of the magazine.
Madonna's daughter turns cover girl
The exhibition also features works by political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, Victorian artist George Cruikshank and Spitting Image puppets.
VIZ COMIC LAUNCHES NEW CHAPTER FOR TATE BRITAIN
We have a 52in Samsung LCD TV - worth pounds 1589 - and a Samsung home cinema system to give away to one lucky reader along with a copy of Spitting Image: The Complete Second Series on DVD, courtesy of Network DVD.
WIN A 52IN SAMSUNG LCD TV & HOME CINEMA SYSTEM; YOUR CHANCE TO WIN competition time Plus Spitting Image Series 2 on DVD
ANT and Dec have been given the Spitting Image treatment.
It's the Spitting Image of Ant and Dec
Throughout these challenges, Jessie has her loving mother, her indomitable grandmother (her "spitting image"), and some other townspeople for support.
Spitting Image
It is a fabulous farewell for that hate-it-or-love-it television series Spitting Image with the sale of 269 of the latex puppets which gave the shows such excruciating attraction as they pilloried the establishment, politics, sport, stage and the entertainment industry.
Antiques & Collecting: Spitting Image under the hammer; Harry Hawkes previews an auction guaranteed to put a smile on our faces
For example, Ivan Campo is the spitting image of Alan Davies, while Davor Suker is mistaken for Peter Mandelson.
SPORT ON TV: PICK OF THE DAY