MEANING
To reveal information that was meant to remain secret, often unintentionally.
Use it for
describing someone revealing confidential information; showing an accidental disclosure; saying that a surprise has been spoiled; asking someone to reveal a hidden planNames disclosure of a secret, often with an unintended or premature quality. Writing functions: Revelation.
Words that belong together
- spill the beans about something
- spill the beans on something
On the page
I nearly spilled the beans about the farewell party when she asked why we were staying late.
The journalist would not spill the beans about her source.
Word forms
- Base
- spill the beans
Usage notes
Verbal idiom: spill/spills/spilled/spilling the beans; spilt is also possible in British English. Keep beans plural. Register: informal. Commonness: common (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
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