noun
Meaning 1
Any thing that has been spilled; the resulting mess.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
spill
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/spɪl/
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Received-Pronunciation, US: [spɪɫ]
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[spɪo̯] l-vocalizing: UK, Australian, New Zealand
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[spɪʊ̯] l-vocalizing: UK, Australian, New Zealand
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɪl
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CMU ARPABET: S P IH1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A fall or stumble.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The bruise is from a bad spill he had last week.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
Synonym of taper, a thin stick, long wick, etc. used to transfer flame.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: taper
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A slender piece of anything.
A peg or pin for plugging a hole, as in a cask'; a spile.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A slender piece of anything.
A metallic rod or pin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A slender piece of anything.
A spillikin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A slender piece of anything.
A splinter caught in the skin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Shropshire
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
One of the thick laths or poles driven horizontally ahead of the main timbering in advancing a level in loose ground.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, mining
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
The situation where sound is picked up by a microphone from a source other than that which is intended.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: sound recording
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 10
A small sum of money.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 11
A declaration that the leadership of a parliamentary party is vacant, and open for re-election. Short form of leadership spill.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australian
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To drop something so that it spreads out or makes a mess; to accidentally pour.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- I spilled some sticky juice on the kitchen floor.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
To spread out or fall out, as above.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- Some sticky juice spilled onto the kitchen floor.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 14
To overflow out of a designated area.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- The crowd spilled onto Maple Avenue.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 15
To drop something that was intended to be caught.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 16
To mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 17
To be destroyed, ruined, or wasted; to come to ruin; to perish; to waste.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 18
To overflow or flow out, over or off something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 19
To cause or flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 20
To cause to be thrown from a mount, a carriage, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 21
To cover or decorate with slender pieces of wood, metal, ivory, etc.; to inlay.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 22
To relieve a sail from the pressure of the wind, so that it can be more easily reefed or furled, or to lessen the strain.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 23
To open the leadership of a parliamentary party for re-election.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australian, transitive
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 24
To reveal information to an uninformed party.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
Examples
- He spilled his guts out to his new psychologist.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 25
To come undone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 26
To express (something), especially repeatedly or floridly; to be expressed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- He spilled insults about the other team.
- Praise spilled from him every day.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 27
a sudden drop from an upright position
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he had a nasty spill on the ice
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tumble, fall
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: slip, trip
Narrower terms: pratfall, wipeout
noun
Meaning 28
the act of allowing a fluid to escape
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spillage, release
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: flow, stream
noun
Meaning 29
a channel that carries excess water over or around a dam or other obstruction
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spillway, wasteweir
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: conduit
noun
Meaning 30
liquid that is spilled
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- clean up the spills
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: liquid
verb
Meaning 31
reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reduce, cut down, cut back, trim, trim down, trim back, cut, bring down
verb
Meaning 32
reveal information
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- If you don't oblige me, I'll talk!
- The former employee spilled all the details
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: talk
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tell
verb
Meaning 33
cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- spill the beans all over the table
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shed, disgorge
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move, displace
Narrower terms: seed
verb
Meaning 34
pour out in drops or small quantities or as if in drops or small quantities
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- shed tears
- spill blood
- God shed His grace on Thee
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shed, pour forth
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pour
verb
Meaning 35
cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- spill the milk
- splatter water
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: slop, splatter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: move, displace
verb
Meaning 36
flow, run or fall out and become lost
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The milk spilled across the floor
- The wine spilled onto the table
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: run out
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: run, flow, feed, course
Narrower terms: overflow, overrun, well over, run over, brim over
History
Etymology
From Middle English spillen, from Old English spillan, spildan (“to kill, destroy, waste”), from Proto-West Germanic *spilþijan, from Proto-Germanic *spilþijaną (“to spoil, kill, murder”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pel- (“to sunder, split, rend, tear”). Cognate with Dutch spillen (“to use needlessly, waste”), French gaspiller ("to waste, squander" < Germanic), Bavarian spillen (“to split, cleave, splinter”), Danish spilde (“to spill, waste”), Swedish spilla (“to spill, waste”), Icelandic spilla (“to contaminate, spoil”). See also spool.
Across languages
Translations
134 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: разливане (razlivane) — something that has been dropped
- Dutch: gemorste — something that has been dropped
- Finnish: läikkyminen — something that has been dropped
- Finnish: putoaminen — something that has been dropped
- French: déversement — something that has been dropped
- Russian: разли́в (razlív) — something that has been dropped
- Swedish: spill — something that has been dropped
- Albanian: derdh — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Arabic: دَلَقَ (dalaqa) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Arabic: أَرَاقَ (ʔarāqa) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Arabic: أَسْجَمَ (ʔasjama) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Arabic: كَبّ (kabb) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Arabic: دلق (dalag) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Aromanian: versu — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Azerbaijani: tökmək — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Azerbaijani: dağıtmaq — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Azerbaijani: calamaq — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Bulgarian: разливам (razlivam) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Catalan: vessar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Cherokee: ᎠᏤᏫᎠ (atsewia) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Chinese Cantonese: 倒瀉 /倒泻 — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Chinese Mandarin: 潑掉 /泼掉 (pōdiào) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Chinese Mandarin: 潑 /泼 (pō) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Chinese Mandarin: 洩漏 /泄漏 (xièlòu) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Czech: rozlít — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Czech: rozsypat — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Danish: spilde — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Dutch: morsen — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Esperanto: verŝi — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Finnish: läikyttää — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Finnish: kaataa — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Finnish: päästää — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- French: déverser — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- French: répandre — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- French: renverser — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Friulian: spandi — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Friulian: stranfâ — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Galician: derramar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Georgian: ღვრა (ɣvra) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- German: verschütten — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- German: schütten — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Greek: χύνω (chýno) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Hebrew: שפך (shafákh) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Higaonon: migpusik — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Hungarian: önt — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Hungarian: borít — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Hungarian: szór — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Ido: varsar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Italian: rovesciare — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Italian: versare — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Japanese: 零れる (koboreru) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Japanese: 零す (kobosu) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Khmer: កំពប់ (kɑmpup) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Korean: 엎지르다 (eopjireuda) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Low German: verspillen — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Low German: spillen — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Low German: pütschern — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Low German: pülschen — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Occitan: versar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Polish: rozlewać — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Polish: rozlać — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Polish: wylewać — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Polish: wylać — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Portuguese: derramar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Portuguese: entornar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Punjabi: ਰੋੜ੍ਹਨਾ (roṛhnā) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Punjabi: ਡੋਲ੍ਹਣਾ (ḍolhṇā) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Punjabi: روڑھنا (roṛhnā) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Punjabi: ڈولھݨا (ḍolhṇā) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Romanian: vărsa — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: пролива́ть (prolivátʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: проли́ть (prolítʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: разлива́ть (razlivátʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: разли́ть (razlítʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: просыпа́ть (prosypátʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: просы́пать (prosýpatʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: рассыпа́ть (rassypátʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Russian: рассы́пать (rassýpatʹ) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Spanish: derramar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Spanish: verter — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Spanish: desparramar — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Spanish: efundir — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Swedish: spilla — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Tamil: சிந்து (cintu) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Tamil: கொட்டு (koṭṭu) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Tày: bá — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Ugaritic: 𐎌𐎔𐎋 (špk) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Ukrainian: розлива́ти (rozlyváty) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Ukrainian: розли́ти (rozlýty) — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Vietnamese: đổ — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Walloon: stårer — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Walloon: spåde — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Walloon: rispåde — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Walloon: rivierser — transitive: to drop something so that it spreads out
- Armenian: թափվել (tʻapʻvel) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Azerbaijani: tökülmək — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Azerbaijani: calanmaq — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Bulgarian: разливам се (razlivam se) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Catalan: vessar — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Czech: rozlít se — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Finnish: läikkyä — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Finnish: levitä — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Galician: derramar — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- German: sich ergießen — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Greek: χύνομαι (chýnomai) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Greek: ξεχειλίζω (xecheilízo) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Hebrew: נשפך (nishpákh) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Hindi: छलकना (chalaknā) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: пролива́ться (prolivátʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: проли́ться (prolítʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: разлива́ться (razlivátʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: разли́ться (razlítʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: просыпа́ться (prosypátʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: просы́паться (prosýpatʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: рассыпа́ться (rassypátʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Russian: рассы́паться (rassýpatʹsja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Spanish: extravasarse — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Tagalog: lalahoy — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Ukrainian: розлива́тися (rozlyvátysja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Ukrainian: розли́тися (rozlýtysja) — intransitive: to spread out or fall out
- Bulgarian: изпускам (izpuskam) — transitive: to drop something that was intended to be caught
- German: fallen lassen — transitive: to drop something that was intended to be caught
- German: verpassen — transitive: to drop something that was intended to be caught
- German: vergeigen — transitive: to drop something that was intended to be caught
- German: versemmeln — transitive: to drop something that was intended to be caught
- German: verderben — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: versauen — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: beschädigen — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: ruinieren — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: vergeuden — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: verschwenden — transitive: to mar; to damage; to destroy by misuse; to waste
- German: verschütten — transitive: to cause to flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed
- German: vergießen — transitive: to cause to flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed
- German: verschwenden — transitive: to cause to flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed
Real reading context