spill

¹

[ spil ]

verb (used with object)

, spilled or spilt, spill·ing.

1. to cause or allow to run or fall from a container, especially accidentally or wastefully:

   to spill a bag of marbles; to spill milk.

2. to shed (blood), as in killing or wounding.
3. to scatter:

   to spill papers all over everything.

4. Nautical.
   1. to let the wind out of (a sail).
   2. to lose (wind) from a sail.
5. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:

   His horse spilled him.

6. Informal. to divulge, disclose, or tell:

   Don't spill the secret.

verb (used without object)

, spilled or spilt, spill·ing.

1. (of a liquid, loose particles, etc.) to run or escape from a container, especially by accident or in careless handling.

noun

1. a spilling, as of liquid.
2. a quantity spilled.
3. the mark made by something spilled.
4. a spillway.
5. Also called spill light [spil, lahyt]. superfluous or useless light rays, as from theatrical or photographic lighting units.
6. Theater. an area of a stage illuminated by spill light.
7. a throw or fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:

   She broke her arm in a spill.

spill

²

[ spil ]

noun

1. a splinter.
2. a slender piece of wood or of twisted paper, for lighting candles, lamps, etc.
3. a peg made of metal.
4. a small pin for stopping a cask; spile.
5. Mining. forepole.

spill

¹

/ spɪl /

noun

1. a splinter of wood or strip of twisted paper with which pipes, fires, etc, are lit
2. a small peg or rod made of metal

spill

²

/ spɪl /

verb

1. whenintr, usually foll by from, out of, etc to fall or cause to fall from or as from a container, esp unintentionally
2. to disgorge (contents, occupants, etc) or (of contents, occupants, etc) to be disgorged

   the car spilt its passengers onto the road

   the crowd spilt out of the theatre

3. to shed (blood)
4. informal.
   Alsospill the beans to disclose something confidential
5. nautical to let (wind) escape from a sail or (of the wind) to escape from a sail

noun

1. informal.
   a fall or tumble
2. short for spillway
3. a spilling of liquid, etc, or the amount spilt
4. the declaring of several political jobs vacant when one higher up becomes so

   the Prime Minister's resignation could mean a Cabinet spill

Derived Forms

• ˈspiller, noun

Other Words From

• spill·a·ble adjective noun
• non·spill·a·ble adjective
• un·spilled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spill¹

First recorded before 950; 1920–25 spill ¹fordef 6; Middle English spillen “to kill, destroy, shed (blood),” Old English spillan “to kill”; cognate with Middle High German, Middle Dutch spillen; akin to spoil

Origin of spill²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English spille, spil(e); of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of spill¹

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German spilla, Middle Dutch spile stake

Origin of spill²

Old English spillan to destroy; related to spildan, Old High German spaltan to split; see spoil

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. spill one's guts. Slang. gut ( def 14 ).
2. spill the beans. bean ( def 11 ).
3. spill / toss one's cookies. cookie ( def 8 ).

More idioms and phrases containing spill

In addition to the idiom beginning with spill , also see shed (spill) blood ; take a spill .

Example Sentences

The fight has spilled into public view, with advisers such as billionaire Elon Musk promoting Lutnick for the position and criticising one of the alternative candidates, Scott Bessent, as too "business as usual".

From BBC

Sewage spills into England's lakes, rivers and seas by water companies more than doubled in 2023.

From BBC

Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy acknowledged drawbacks to use of retardant, including harm to aquatic life if it spills into waterways.

From Los Angeles Times

The tensions have spilled over into Dutch politics too.

From BBC

The Earth spills secrets like it’s been waiting for someone to ask.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• discharge
• dribble
• empty
• flow
• overflow
• pour
• run out
• scatter
• spill over
• splash
• spray
• sprinkle
• squirt
• stream