Definition

1. Noun:

   • A sudden, often accidental, fall from a standing or seated position: A "spill" can refer to a person falling, typically resulting in a minor injury.
   • An instance of liquid or other substance escaping from its container: A "spill" is the act or result of something being accidentally poured or dropped.
   • A channel for excess water: In engineering, a "spill" can refer to a spillway, a structure that allows water to flow over or around a dam.

2. Verb:

   • To cause or allow (a liquid, powder, etc.) to flow or fall out of a container, usually accidentally: The primary meaning involves an unintentional escape of contents.
   • To reveal or disclose (information, especially secret or confidential information): To "spill" can mean to tell secrets or private details.
   • To pour out in drops or small quantities: This can refer to a deliberate, gentle pouring or an emotional outpouring.
   • To fall or cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or other position: To "spill" someone is to unseat them.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He took a nasty spill on the ice and hurt his knee.
  • Quick! Get a towel to clean up the coffee spill.
  • The dam's spill was designed to handle floodwaters.

• Verb:

  • Be careful not to spill your drink on the keyboard.
  • The witness finally spilled the truth about the crime.
  • She spilled the seeds from the packet into her hand.
  • The horse spilled its rider at the first jump.

Advanced Usage

• "spill over": To overflow or extend beyond normal limits.
  • The conflict in the city began to spill over into neighboring towns.
• "spill the beans": To reveal a secret, often unintentionally.
  • He accidentally spilled the beans about the surprise party.
• "spill blood": To cause injury or death; to wage war.
  • The tyrant spilled the blood of many innocent people.
• "cry over spilled milk": To be upset about something that has already happened and cannot be changed.
  • I know you made a mistake, but there's no use crying over spilled milk.

Variants and Related Words

• Spillage (n): The action or an instance of spilling; the amount spilled.
  • The spillage from the oil tanker caused an environmental disaster.
• Spillway (n): A channel for carrying excess water from a dam or reservoir.
  • The engineers inspected the dam's spillway.

Synonyms

• Verb (liquid): Slop, slosh, tip over.
• Verb (information): Disclose, reveal, blab, leak.
• Noun (fall): Tumble, fall, wipeout.
• Noun (liquid): Leak, mess.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Spill out: To emerge or pour out in large numbers or amounts.
  • When the doors opened, the crowd spilled out into the street.
• Spill into: To extend or flow into another area.
  • The protest spilled into the main square.

Related Idioms

• Spill your guts: To confess or tell someone everything you know or feel.
  • In therapy, she finally spilled her guts about her childhood.

Noun

1. a sudden drop from an upright position
   • he had a nasty spill on the ice
2. the act of allowing a fluid to escape
3. a channel that carries excess water over or around a dam or other obstruction
4. liquid that is spilled
   • clean up the spills

Verb

1. reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail)
2. reveal information
   • If you don't oblige me, I'll talk!
   • The former employee spilled all the details
3. pour out in drops or small quantities or as if in drops or small quantities
   • shed tears
   • spill blood
   • God shed His grace on Thee
4. cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over
   • spill the beans all over the table
5. flow, run or fall out and become lost
   • The milk spilled across the floor
   • The wine spilled onto the table
6. cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
   • spill the milk
   • splatter water