spill over

verb

1. intr, adverb to overflow or be forced out of an area, container, etc

noun

1. the act of spilling over
2. the excess part of something
3. economics any indirect effect of public expenditure
4. astronomy the part of the noise associated with a radio telescope using a dish antenna caused by pick-up by a secondary antenna from directions that do not intercept the dish

Example Sentences

There have been fears that the growing tension could spill over into some sort of conflict.

From BBC

Tensions had threatened to spill over in the sixth innings when Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty and Padres baseman Manny Machado were embroiled in an angry exchange.

From BBC

Bethpage is likely to be an extreme 'bear pit' where emotions could easily spill over and turn ugly, especially if Luke Donald’s Europeans make it competitive.

From BBC

He warned that the conflict could spill over into a war "no-one can control and with consequences that none of us can foresee".

From BBC

"These aren't just mean words where there’s a lack of resilience, these are threats of harm that can very easily spill over into real world violence."

From BBC

Related Words

• brim
• bubble over
• cascade
• deluge
• drain
• drown
• engulf
• gush
• inundate
• leak
• overrun
• pour
• run over
• soak
• spill
• submerge
• swamp