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⇱ spill - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

spill

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈspɪl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/spɪl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(spil)

Inflections of 'spill' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
The past form "spilt" is mainly used in UK English. It is correct in US English, but rare. The past form "spilled" is correct in both US and UK English.
spills
v 3rd person singular
spilling
v pres p
spilled
v past (US & UK)
spilt
v past (Mainly UK)
spilled
v past p (US & UK)
spilt
v past p (Mainly UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
spill1 /spɪl/USA pronunciation   v., spilled or spilt/spɪlt/USA pronunciation  spill•ing, n. 
v. 
    • to (cause or allow to) run or fall from a container, esp. accidentally or wastefully: [~ + object]to spill milk from a glass.[no object]The milk spilled on the floor.
    • [no object] to flow, esp. beyond the customary boundaries:Tears spilled from her eyes.
  2. to shed (blood), as in killing:[~ + object]Too much blood has already been spilled over this foolish dispute.
  3. to scatter:[~ + object]to spill papers all over the floor.
  4. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:[~ + object]That wild horse managed to spill every rider who got on him.
  5. Informal Terms[~ + object] to let (a secret) become known; divulge.
  6. to move in great numbers;
    pour out:[no object]As soon as the bell rang the children spilled into the playground.

n. [countable]
  1. a spilling, as of liquid:another dangerous oil spill.
  2. a fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:took a bad spill from the pony.
spill•age /ˈspɪlɪdʒ/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
spill1  (spil),USA pronunciation v., spilled or spilt, spill•ing, n. 
v.t. 
  1. to cause or allow to run or fall from a container, esp. 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, Naval Terms
    • to let the wind out of (a sail).
    • to lose (wind) from a sail.
  5. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:His horse spilled him.
  6. Informal Termsto divulge, disclose, or tell:Don't spill the secret.
  7. spill the beans. See bean (def. 9).

v.i. 
  1. (of a liquid, loose particles, etc.) to run or escape from a container, esp. by accident or in careless handling.

n. 
  1. a spilling, as of liquid.
  2. a quantity spilled.
  3. the mark made by something spilled.
  4. Civil Engineeringa spillway.
  5. Photography, Show BusinessAlso called spill′ light′. superfluous or useless light rays, as from theatrical or photographic lighting units.
  6. Show Business[Theat.]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.
  • bef. 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
spill′a•ble, adj., n. 

spill2  (spil),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a splinter.
  2. a slender piece of wood or of twisted paper, for lighting candles, lamps, etc.
  3. Buildinga peg made of metal.
  4. a small pin for stopping a cask;
    spile.
  5. Miningforepole.
  • ?
  • Middle English spille 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
spill /spɪl/ vb (spills, spilling, spilt, spilled) (mainly tr)
  1. when intr, usually followed 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. Also: spill the beans informal to disclose something confidential
  5. to let (wind) escape from a sail or (of the wind) to escape from a sail
 n
  1. informal a fall or tumble
  2. short for spillway
  3. a spilling of liquid, etc, or the amount spilt
  4. Austral the declaring of several political jobs vacant when one higher up becomes so
Etymology: Old English spillan to destroy; related to spildan, Old High German spaltan to split; see spoilˈspiller n
spill /spɪl/ n
  1. a splinter of wood or strip of twisted paper with which pipes, fires, etc, are lit
Etymology: 13th Century: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German spilla, Middle Dutch spile stake
'spill' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a spill-proof cup, spill [coffee, oil, milk], spilled [coffee] on his laptop, more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "spill" in the title:

a collapse <should> there be an oil spill
a flurry/spill
a paper spill
a spill of grit
a water spill
An uncontrollable spill of scarlet now in this scene
attend to a spill?
bent-an-ear, spill-of-speech
Do „Get sth off your chest“ and „spill your guts to smb“ have the same meaning?
fall or spill
flour spill
Horse spill
I usually spill my guts to Linda
In 2015 / this year, over 200 spill incidents from the company's oil platforms were so far recorded
It's your dime, spill it
let some foam <drip><spill>
many feared would spill into renewed conflict
Mop up the spill/the spilled milk.
oil spill hits coastline
oil spill to three rivers took place in Mexico
Overflow / Spill over,out
People spill out on to the pavements
Please do not spill your writing outside the box?
please don't spill down the food in the floor
Pour, shed and spill
pour/spill the bag
Shed/Spill
<so as not to> spill the tea and not to wipe ...
some guts to spill?
spill
more...

Look up "spill" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "spill" at dictionary.com
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