spill1

[spil] /spɪl/
verb (used with object), spilled or spilt, spilling.
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, spilling.
7.
(of a liquid, loose particles, etc.) to run or escape from a container, especially by accident or in careless handling.
noun
8.
a spilling, as of liquid.
9.
a quantity spilled.
10.
the mark made by something spilled.
11.
a spillway.
12.
Also called spill light. superfluous or useless light rays, as from theatrical or photographic lighting units.
13.
Theater. an area of a stage illuminated by spill light.
14.
a throw or fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:
She broke her arm in a spill.
Idioms
15.
spill the beans. bean (def 11).
Origin
before 950; 1920-25 for def 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
Related forms
spillable, adjective, noun
nonspillable, adjective
unspilled, adjective

spill2

[spil] /spɪl/
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.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English spille < ?
Examples from the web for spill
  • Especially with the way the plants below it seem to spill rebelliously out onto the sidewalk.
  • Sprays of catmint spill over a stone retaining wall.
  • Let plants tumble over rocks or spill from niches in dry rock walls.
  • The way the leaves emerge from the center and spill out and curl under.
  • The bees nearest to the spill clustered around, cleaning the top bars madly.
  • As long as you're careful not to spill, the computer can get you a great culinary education.
  • In some of the more popular places, the local crowds spill happily out into the street.
  • At this time there is no effective plan if a catastrophe such as a ship collision or oil spill occurs.
  • Science isn't going to cure cancer by next week or clean up the gulf oil spill overnight.
  • We must keep the windows shut or they'll spill into the apartment.
British Dictionary definitions for spill

spill1

/spɪl/
verb (mainly transitive) spills, spilling, spilt, spilled
1.
when intr, 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) Also spill 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
6.
(informal) a fall or tumble
7.
short for spillway
8.
a spilling of liquid, etc, or the amount spilt
9.
(Austral) 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
spiller, noun
Word Origin
Old English spillan to destroy; related to spildan, Old High German spaltan to split; see spoil

spill2

/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
Word Origin
C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German spilla, Middle Dutch spile stake
Word Origin and History for spill
v.

Old English spillan "destroy, kill," variant of spildan, from Proto-Germanic *spelthijanan (cf. Old High German spildan "to spill," Old Saxon spildian, Old Norse spilla "to destroy," Middle Dutch spillen "to waste"), from PIE *spel- "to split, break off" (cf. Middle Dutch spalden, Old High German spaltan "to split;" for further cognates, see spoil). Related: Spilled; spilling.

Sense of "let (liquid) fall or run out" developed mid-14c. from use of the word in reference to shedding blood (early 12c.). Intransitive sense is from 1650s. Spill the beans recorded by 1910 in a sense of "spoil the situation;" to cry for spilt milk (usually with negative) is attested from 1738.

n.

1845, originally "a throw from a horse," from spill (v.).

Slang definitions & phrases for spill

spill

verb
  1. To upset; down; dump: I'll spill you in the drink (1731+)
  2. To utter or confess something, esp something damaging; spill the beans (1574+)

spill in Technology


register spilling

Idioms and Phrases with spill

spill

In addition to the idiom beginning with
spill
also see: