The idiom "spit into the wind" means to do something that is pointless or useless, or to take an action that will have no effect or even a negative effect. It is often used to describe a situation where someone is trying to achieve something that is impossible or where the outcome is already predetermined.
For example, if someone is trying to convince a stubborn person to change their mind, they might say "trying to change his mind is like spitting into the wind." This means that the effort is futile and will not produce any results.
The idiom is derived from the fact that spitting into the wind is a useless and foolish action. When you spit into the wind, the wind will blow the spit back into your face, making you look foolish and achieving nothing.
In summary, "spit into the wind" is an idiom used to describe a situation where an action is pointless or useless. It is often used to caution against wasting time and effort on something that is unlikely to succeed.
• It's like spitting into the wind trying to get people to follow the rules during a pandemic.
• It's like spitting into the wind to try and convince him to change his mind.
• I would not spit into the wind because it would come back to my face.
• Trying to teach a cat to fetch a ball is like spitting into the wind.
• The politician's attempt to deny the allegations was like spitting into the wind, as the evidence was overwhelming.
• It's like spitting into the wind trying to make sense of his irrational behavior.