Spill Meaning
/spɪl/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo drop something so that it spreads out or makes a mess; to accidentally pour.
verbTo spread out or fall out, as above.
Sentence Examples
You can wear my scarf as long as you don't spill anything on it.
I am afraid he is going to spill the beans.
The tanker began to spill its cargo of oil.
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the busy restaurant, the clumsy waiter made the drink ____ onto the floor.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Be careful not to ____ your orange juice on the white carpet while you are playing with your toys.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"He was so topful of himself, that he let it spill on all the company."
— 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
"That should have been that, but Hart caught a dose of the Hennessey wobbles and spilled Adlene Guedioura's long-range shot."
— 2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:
"They [the colours] disfigure the stuff and spill the whole workmanship."
— 1589, George Puttenham, The Arte of English Poesie:
"Spill not the morning (the quintessence of day) in recreations."
— 1642, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel for John Williams, […], →OCLC:
"That thou wilt suffer innocence to spill."
— 1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Man of Lawes Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne], editor, The Workes of Geffray Chaucer Newlye Printed, […], [London]: […] [Richard Grafton for] Iohn Reynes […], 1542, →OCLC:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
At the busy restaurant, the clumsy waiter made the drink ____ onto the floor.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Be careful not to ____ your orange juice on the white carpet while you are playing with your toys.