Defensive vomiting is a symptom of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in which a person who has drastically over-eaten (generally in reaction to previous extreme dieting) vomits as a reaction to an excess of food which the body is not prepared to handle. It is often seen in children, shortly after holidays such as Halloween and Easter.
Defensive vomiting can also refer to a tactic used by some animals. Examples include the turkey vulture, which may vomit up foul-smelling semi-digested meat to ward off predators.
Famous quotes containing the word defensive:
“Stay-at-home mothers, . . . their self-esteem constantly assaulted, . . . are ever more fervently concerned that their offspring turn out better so they won’t have to stoop to say “I told you so.” Working mothers, . . . their self-esteem corroded by guilt, . . . are praying their kids turn out functional so they can stop being defensive and apologetic and instead assert “See? I did do it all.””
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)