What does verting mean?
Verting is an informal verb, especially associated with British English, for vomiting. It is the present-participle form of vert and normally describes the act of bringing up the contents of the stomach: “They were verting all over the pavement after the ride.” The word is blunt and unglamorous, but its compactness can make a narrative vivid, and it is often used with a humorous or exaggerated tone. In casual or social-media writing, it may also function as a euphemism for a particularly messy or dramatic episode of vomiting. Because verting names the physical action directly, it is more specific and less euphemistic than saying that someone felt ill, while still being less clinical than medical language such as emesis. It is an ordinary inflected verb form rather than a separate noun, so its meaning and usage follow those of vert.
verbTo vomit, especially to bring up the contents of the stomach.
- To vomit; to bring up the contents of the stomach.
"After the ride, he spent half the night verting into a bucket."
"The dog knocked over the bin and then spent the evening verting everywhere."
"Her latest video shows the band verting on stage during the encore."
“Verting” packs the full-body drama of bringing up breakfast into one vivid little word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of verting
The slang verb vert is attested in British English by the second half of the 20th century, although its precise origin is uncertain. Verting was formed within English by adding the present-participle suffix -ing to vert. Because the underlying source is unclear, there is no well-established group of cognates derived from it.
Related word forms
How verting is actually used
Informal and chiefly British. It is often humorous or deliberately blunt, although it can also describe an unpleasant scene without comic intent.