spitting feathers

[bloggit]

What does this mean?

[shaneystar2]

One explanation here
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-spi4.htm

[bloggit]

Thank you!
I always thought it meant 'thirsty - dying for a drink usually a cup of tea'. However, during a discussion at a dinner party a couple of people were adament that it meant angry - and became so when some of us insisted it meant thirsty.

It is so interesting how language and meanings get changed over time or from area to area.