See Also: spill(3)(dictionary)
spill(medicine)
spill(1)(dictionary)
spill(2)(dictionary)
spill(5)(dictionary)
spill(4)(dictionary)
spill 1, verb(dictionary)
spill 2, noun(dictionary)
Spill the Wind - Sailing(gambling)
Spill - Video Poker(gambling)

spill(5) (iou)



spill verb. .
[Old English spillan = Middle & mod. Low German, Middle & mod. Dutch spillen rel. to Old English spildan destroy = Old Saxon spildian, Old High German spilden, Old Norse spilla, of unkn. origin.]
I.
a. verb trans. Put to death, kill; put an end to (life). Long arch. OE.
b. verb intrans. Cause death or slaughter. ME-E17.
verb trans. Bring (a person) to ruin or misery; wreck, destroy, devastate, (a thing). OE-M17.
verb trans. Waste, squander; use wastefully; spend (time, effort, etc.) fruitlessly or unprofitably. OE-L18.
verb trans. Spoil, damage, make imperfect or useless, destroy the goodness or value of. Long Scot. & dial. ME.
verb intrans.
a. Die; be destroyed, go to ruin. ME-L16.
b. Decline in quality, degenerate, deteriorate. obsolete exc. Scot. & dial. ME.
II.
verb trans. Shed (blood), esp. in killing or wounding a person or persons. OE.
A. Burgess The blood of our sons..must not be spilt to no end.
verb trans. Allow or cause (a liquid, powder, etc.) to flow or run out over the edge of a container or vessel, esp. accidentally or wastefully; lose or waste in this way. ME.
cry over spilt milk: see MILK noun.
J. Gardner In his clumsy excitement he bumped Willard's coffee and spilled it. P. Marshall Holding the glass..as if fearful of spilling a drop. P. Chaplin 'Has someone spilled perfume in here?' she asked...almost stifled. U. Holden I had spilled ink on my..sleeve.
b. Scatter, esp. by emptying from a receptacle etc.; disperse. ME.
G. Naylor The box spilled out piles of photographs.
c. Sport. Drop (the ball); esp. in Cricket, put down (a catch). colloq. L20.
verb intrans. Of a liquid, powder, etc.: flow, spread, or run over the edge of a container or vessel; be wasted in this way; fig. (of a crowd etc.) tumble out quickly from a place. ME.
spill over overflow; spec. (of a surplus population) move from an overcrowded area, esp. a city.
A. Wilson Swilling her whisky.., letting it slop to the brim but never spill. G. Lord Cops spilled from the squad car. C. Priest Her..bag.., its contents spilling out over the worn linoleum. Company A crowded cafe with tables spilling onto the street.
verb trans. Cover or overlay with something (as) by spilling. rare. L16.
Nautical.
a. verb trans. Empty (a sail) of wind. E17.
b. verb intrans. Of a sail: become empty of wind. M18.
c. verb trans. Discharge (wind) from a sail etc. L19.
verb trans. Throw or cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, etc. colloq. M19.
verb trans. Confess, divulge, (information etc.). slang. E20.
spill one's guts (out) slang divulge as much as one can, confess completely. spill the beans colloq. reveal a secret, divulge information, esp. unintentionally or indiscreetly.
spilling noun the action of the verb; an instance of this; (sing. & in pl.) something spilled: OE.