- 1[intransitive, transitive] (especially of liquid) to flow over the edge of a container by accident; to make liquid do this Water had spilled out of the bucket onto the floor. The bag split, and sugar spilled everywhere. spill something He startled her and made her spill her drink. Thousands of gallons of crude oil were spilled into the ocean. I managed to carry three full glasses without spilling a drop.
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- 2[intransitive] + adv./prep. (of people) to come out of a place in large numbers and spread out The doors opened and people spilled into the street. (figurative) Light spilled from the windows. Idioms
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NAmE//spɪl//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they spill he / she / it spills
past simple spilled
(British English also) past simple spilt
-ing form spilling
to waste time worrying about something that has happened that you cannot do anything about As the saying goes —it's no use crying over spilled milk.
to tell someone something that should be kept secret or private
to kill or wound people Nothing can justify spilling innocent blood.
to tell someone everything you know or feel about something, because you are upset He has spilled his guts in his new autobiography. Phrasal Verbsspill outspill over
Check pronunciation: spill