spill 1
— spillable , adj. , n.
/spil/ , v. , spilled or spilt, spilling , 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. Naut.
a. to let the wind out of (a sail).
b. to lose (wind) from a sail.
5. to cause to fall from a horse, vehicle, or the like: His horse spilled him.
6. Informal. 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. a spillway.
13. Also called spill light . superfluous or useless light rays, as from theatrical or photographic lighting units.
14. 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; ME spillen to kill, destroy, shed (blood), OE spillan to kill; c. MHG, MD spillen; akin to SPOIL ]
spill 2
/spil/ , n.
1. a splinter.
2. a slender piece of wood or of twisted paper, for lighting candles, lamps, etc.
3. a peg made of metal.
4. a small pin for stopping a cask; spile.
5. Mining. forepole.
[ 1250-1300; ME spille ]