spill
spill [spill spills spilled spilt spilling] verb, noun BrE [spɪl] NAmE [spɪl]
verb (spilled, spilled)(BrE also spilt, spiltBrE [spɪlt] ; NAmE [spɪlt] )
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.
•~ sth 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.
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.
Rem: or
more at cry over spilt milk at ↑cry v.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
n. sense 1 and n. sense 3 v. Old English spillan ‘kill, destroy, waste, shed (blood)’ n. sense 2 Middle English ‘sharp fragment of wood’
Example Bank:
•After the clubs closed, the drinkers spilled out into the streets.
•He nodded, his tears spilling over.
•He opened the curtains, letting the morning light spill into the room.
•I accidentally spilled my drink all over him.
Idioms: ↑spill blood ▪ ↑spill the beans ▪ ↑spill your guts
Derived: ↑spill out ▪ ↑spill over ▪ ↑spill something out
noun
1. (also formal spill·age)countable, uncountable an act of letting a liquid come or fall out of a container; the amount of liquid that comes or falls out
•Many seabirds died as a result of the oil spill.
•I wiped up the coffee spills on the table.
2. countable a long match, or a thin piece of twisted paper, used for lighting fires, oil lamps, etc.
3. countable, usually singular a fall, especially from a bicycle or a boat
•to take a spill
see thrills and spills at ↑thrill n.
Word Origin:
n. sense 1 and n. sense 3 v. Old English spillan ‘kill, destroy, waste, shed (blood)’ n. sense 2 Middle English ‘sharp fragment of wood’
See also: ↑spillage
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