One of our nephews is the spitting image of his father. They look alike in all their baby and childhood pictures.

A girl in my Sunday school class was the spitting image of her older sister. I have to look closely to tell them apart.

Spitting image usually means someone looks exactly like another person.

They are the mirror image of one another. Identical twins are the perfect example.

Spitting image also applies to things besides people, such as the reflection of this bridge on Magnolia Plantation.

No one knows for sure how this expression began. Two strong possibilities include:

1. People look so much alike, one could have spat the other out of his mouth.
2. The expression began as splitting image. This refers to a split (cut) piece of wood. The two parts of wood look alike.

People may be the spitting image in looks but not behavior.

• Sons may look like, but not act like, their fathers.
• Sisters may look like, but not act like, one another.
• Identical twins definitely look like, but don’t always act like, each other.

People don’t choose how they look. They do choose how they act.

Therefore:

• Follow the right footsteps.
• Reflect the right behavior.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).

Thanks to Debbie Tapscott for the suggestion.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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