What it means
To spit the dummy means to lose your temper in a way that looks weirdly childish, usually over something small or annoying. You use it when someone kicks off, sulks, or makes a whole scene because things didn't go their way. Very Aussie, very visual, full grown adult suddenly running on toddler fumes.
Usage examples
"Macca’s forgot his extra sauce and he spat the dummy at the counter, then sheepishly came back two minutes later asking for a napkin."
"The opening batsman absolutely spat the dummy after the umpire ruled lbw, threw the bat halfway to the boundary rope and gave the pavilion the kind of glare that does not fade quickly in the Sydney summer."
"My uncle spat the dummy at the family barbecue because the snags were burnt and the sausage rolls had run out, and the rest of us pretended very hard to be deeply engaged in the cricket commentary."
"He spat the dummy because the pub kitchen stopped serving schnitzels at nine, like the nation had personally betrayed him."
"Don’t spit the dummy just because your fantasy team’s cooked, mate. It’s one bad round, not the end of civilisation."
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Where it comes from
This is solid Australian slang built from dummy meaning a pacifier. It shows up in Australian usage by the late 1950s and comes from the image of a baby spitting out the dummy during a fit. From there it stuck as a neat way to mock any childish adult tantrum, and it spread into New Zealand too.
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