turn·spit

(tûrn′spĭt′)

a. One that turns a roasting spit.

b. A roasting spit that can be turned.

2. A dog formerly used in a treadmill to turn a roasting spit.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

turnspit

(ˈtɜːnˌspɪt)

1. (Historical Terms) (formerly) a servant or small dog whose job was to turn the spit on which meat, poultry, etc, was roasting

2. (Cookery) a spit that can be so turned

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

turn•spit

(ˈtɜrnˌspɪt)

n.

1. a spit that rotates or can be rotated.

2. a person who turns a spit.

3. a small dog formerly used to work a treadmill that turned a spit.

[1570–80]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

turnspit - a roasting spit that can be turned

spit - a skewer for holding meat over a fire

Translations

turnspit

[ˈtɜːnspɪt] N → mecanismo m que da vueltas al asador

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Mentioned in

spit

References in classic literature

"How innocent that poor la Herme is!" resumed Jehanne; "don't you see, sister, that this little monster is at least four years old, and that he would have less appetite for your breast than for a turnspit."

View in context

So it has probably been with the turnspit dog; and this is known to have been the case with the ancon sheep.

View in context

It was as much as he could do now, with the help of his big stick and frequent stops, to hobble down to the canal with Master Tom, and bait his hook for him, and sit and watch his angling, telling him quaint old country stories; and when Tom had no sport, and detecting a rat some hundred yards or so off along the bank, would rush off with Toby the turnspit terrier, his other faithful companion, in bootless pursuit, he might have tumbled in and been drowned twenty times over before Benjy could have got near him.

View in context

Turnspit (farewell show), The Blind Staggers, Blood People, Steveo & the Crippling Addictions, Still Alive: 8 p.m.

Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland and the North Mississippi Allstars: 6:30 p.m. Frida

The turnspit dog Only an especially resilient, docile and short-legged breed of dog would be willing and able to undertake this thankless task.

Dog gone... consigned to history

the last surviving specimen of a turnspit dog, albeit

Whiskey

turnspit demons were basting him over a flame so that he sizzled

Salmoneus and the poets: poetry in a world of violence

That dependable character singer, Richard Paul Fink, was in typically fine form as the water gnome, Vodick, with Joni Hereon also in top form as the Foreign Princess, Michael Barrett and Betty Allison taking an unusual turn as the Gamekeeper and Turnspit, and Teija Kasahara, Lisa DiMaria and Erin Fisher making a handsome trio of Wood Nymphs.

TORONTO

Googlewhacks are two random words, such as 'Francophile namesakes' or 'dork turnspit', which, when inserted into a search engine, lead you to only one website.

Global Gorman

These are two random words (suchas Francophile namesakes or dork turnspit) which, when they are inserted into a search engine,lead you to only one website.

Truth is funnier than fiction; James Rampton speaks to comedian Dave Gorman about a show 140,000 kilometers in the making

These are two random words (such as 'Francophile namesakes' or 'dork turnspit') which, when they are inserted into a search engine, lead you to only one website.

When Gorman got Googled; He says he can't wait to start playing about with the nation's Google. But what is Perrier Award nominee Dave Gorman talking about? JAMES RAMPTON meets the web whacker