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

Safely store drinks in two cup holders built into the arm rest and—should any spills happen—you can easily clean up the faux leather surface.

From Popular-Science

These mighty, microfiber towels are capable of dissolving big spills, plus they retain their shape after multiple washes.

From Popular-Science

Since then, these microbes have been used to clean up oil spills and radioactive waste.

From Science News For Students

Three weeks ago, I was looking down into my husband’s unblinking eyes, seeing blood spill from his nose and mouth, and feeling my hand trying to stop the bleeding from the back of his head.

From Washington Blade

She says that after watching Pacific Gas and Electric cut corners and try to cover up spills and plumes, she’s started to notice negligence patterns, and there’s no national database for those toxic hot spots.

From Outside Online

A new paper outlines five steps required for a virus to ‘spill over’ from bats to humans.

From The Daily Beast

In the immediate aftermath of the oil spill, apoplectic Southerners cast their disdain towards the North.

From The Daily Beast

Since the spill, the number of unemployed residents in Louisiana and Alabama has only increased.

From The Daily Beast

Bewildered adolescents, many of them accompanied by equally confused guardians, spill out into the hallway.

From The Daily Beast

Nor is it the way the gunman manages not to spill a drop of the drink in his other hand as he commits all this savagery.

From The Daily Beast

I am of opinion too, that the Indecency of the next Verse, you spill upon me, would admit of an equal Correction.

From Project Gutenberg

I knew that in the open I could in some way spill the horn, so that she would be helpless and harmless afterward.

From Project Gutenberg

The ashes there are never to be taken out, no matter if they are piled a foot thick, and spill all over the floor.

From Project Gutenberg

But first must you win scars and spill the blood of your foes, that all may learn to fear the utterance of your name.

From Project Gutenberg

And you would spill blood sooner than your betters should know it—ye ninny-cumpoops!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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