subs. (old).—A hot tempered person: see FURIOSO (GROSE).
1623. MABBE, The Spanish Rogue [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 83. There are the phrases … a brown study … FIRE SPITTING DEVILS, whence comes our SPITFIRE].
1687. T. BROWN, Works, i. 87, ‘The Men and Women Saints in an Uproar.’ St. Ursula. ’Tis some comfort to me, however, Bully SPIT-FIRE, that thou can’st not abuse me, without falling foul upon my country.
1695. CONGREVE, Love for Love, ii. 3. But there’s but one virgin among the twelve signs, SPITFIRE, but one virgin.
1891. H. B. MARRIOTT-WATSON, The Web of the Spider, xii. ‘Foster was right,’ he thought. ‘She is a little SPITFIRE.’
1899. HYNE, Further Adventures of Captain Kettle, ix. It was clear that this little SPITFIRE of a sailor, with his handy pistol, daunted him.
