Main Entry:

¹spill

Pronunciation:

\ˈspil\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

spilled \ˈspild, ˈspilt\ also spilt \ˈspilt\ ; spill·ing

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English spillan; akin to Old English spildan to destroy and perhaps to Latin spolium animal skin, Greek sphallein to cause to fall

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb1 aarchaic : kill, destroy b: to cause (blood) to be lost by wounding2: to cause or allow especially accidentally or unintentionally to fall, flow, or run out so as to be lost or wasted3 a: to relieve (a sail) from the pressure of the wind so as to reef or furl it b: to relieve the pressure of (wind) on a sail by coming about or by adjusting the sail with lines4: to throw off or out <a horse spilled him>5: to let out : divulge <spill a secret>intransitive verb1 a: to flow, run, or fall out, over, or off and become wasted, scattered, or lost <water spilling over the dam> b: to cause or allow something to spill2: to spread profusely or beyond bounds <crowds spilled into the streets>3: to fall from one's place (as on a horse)

— spill·able \ˈspi-lə-bəl\ adjective

— spill·er noun

— spill one's guts

: to divulge especially personal information

— spill the beans

: to divulge secret or hidden information