spill

UK: /ˈspɪl/ US: /spɪl/ ,(spil)

Inflections of 'spill' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

The past form "spilt" is mainly used in UK English. It is correct in US English, but rare. The past form "spilled" is correct in both US and UK English.

spills

v 3rd person singular

spilling

v pres p

spilled

v past (US & UK)

spilt

v past (Mainly UK)

spilled

v past p (US & UK)

spilt

v past p (Mainly UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

spill¹ /spɪl/   v., spilled or spilt/spɪlt/  spill•ing, n. 
v. 

1. • to (cause or allow to) run or fall from a container, esp. accidentally or wastefully: [~ + object]
     to spill milk from a glass.
     [no object]
     The milk spilled on the floor.
   • [no object] to flow, esp. beyond the customary boundaries:
     Tears spilled from her eyes.
2. to shed (blood), as in killing:
   [~ + object] Too much blood has already been spilled over this foolish dispute.
3. to scatter:
   [~ + object] to spill papers all over the floor.
4. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:
   [~ + object] That wild horse managed to spill every rider who got on him.
5. Informal Terms [~ + object] to let (a secret) become known; divulge.
6. to move in great numbers;
   pour out:
   [no object] As soon as the bell rang the children spilled into the playground.

n. [countable]

7. a spilling, as of liquid:
   another dangerous oil spill.
8. a fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:
   took a bad spill from the pony.

spill•age /ˈspɪlɪdʒ/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

spill¹  (spil), v., spilled or spilt, spill•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to cause or allow to run or fall from a container, esp. accidentally or wastefully:
   to spill a bag of marbles; to spill milk.
2. to shed (blood), as in killing or wounding.
3. to scatter:
   to spill papers all over everything.
4. Nautical, Naval Terms
   • to let the wind out of (a sail).
   • to lose (wind) from a sail.
5. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:
   His horse spilled him.
6. Informal Terms to divulge, disclose, or tell:
   Don't spill the secret.
7. spill the beans. See bean (def. 9).

v.i. 

8. (of a liquid, loose particles, etc.) to run or escape from a container, esp. by accident or in careless handling.

n. 

9. a spilling, as of liquid.
10. a quantity spilled.
11. the mark made by something spilled.
12. Civil Engineering a spillway.
13. Photography, Show Business Also called spill′ light′. superfluous or useless light rays, as from theatrical or photographic lighting units.
14. Show Business [Theat.] an area of a stage illuminated by spill light.
15. a throw or fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like:
    She broke her arm in a spill.

• bef. 950; 1920–25 for def. 6; Middle English spillen to kill, destroy, shed (blood), Old English spillan to kill; cognate with Middle High German, Middle Dutch spillen; akin to spoil

spill′a•ble, adj., n. 

spill²  (spil), n. 

1. a splinter.
2. a slender piece of wood or of twisted paper, for lighting candles, lamps, etc.
3. Building a peg made of metal.
4. a small pin for stopping a cask;
   spile.
5. Mining forepole.

• ?
• Middle English spille 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spill / spɪl/ verb (spills, spilling, spilt, spilled)(mainly tr)

1. when intr, usually followed by from, out of, etc: to fall or cause to fall from or as from a container, esp unintentionally
2. to disgorge (contents, occupants, etc) or (of contents, occupants, etc) to be disgorged: the car spilt its passengers onto the road, the crowd spilt out of the theatre
3. to shed (blood)
4. Also: spill the beans to disclose something confidential
5. to let (wind) escape from a sail or (of the wind) to escape from a sail

noun

1. a fall or tumble
2. short for spillway
3. a spilling of liquid, etc, or the amount spilt
4. the declaring of several political jobs vacant when one higher up becomes so

Etymology: Old English spillan to destroy; related to spildan, Old High German spaltan to split; see spoil

ˈspiller noun

spill / spɪl/ noun

1. a splinter of wood or strip of twisted paper with which pipes, fires, etc, are lit

Etymology: 13th Century: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German spilla, Middle Dutch spile stake