spill´a|ble

spill¹ «spihl», verb, spilled or spilt, spill|ing, noun.

–v.t.

1. to let (liquid or any matter in loose pieces) run or fall: »

to spill milk, to spill salt.

2. to scatter; disperse.

3. to shed (blood), as in killing or wounding: »

blood spilled on the battlefield.

4. Informal. to cause to fall from a horse, cart, boat, or the like: »

The boat upset and spilled her into the water.

5. to let wind out of (a sail).

6. Figurative. to make known; tell: »

to spill a secret.

SYNONYM(S): divulge, disclose.

–v.i.

1. to fall or flow out: »

Water spilled from the pail.

2. to become empty of wind: »

The ship turned slowly to the wind, pitching and chopping as the sails were spilling (Frederick Marryat).

–n.

1. the act of spilling.

2. the quantity spilled.

3. a fall: »

He got a bad spill trying to ride that horse.

4. Informal. a downpour (of rain).

5. = spillway. (Cf. ↑spillway)

╂[Old English spillan destroy, kill]

–spill´a|ble, adjective.

–spill´er, noun.

spill² «spihl», noun.

1. a thin piece of wood, or a folded or twisted piece of paper, used to light a candle, pipe, or fire, as from a fire or another candle: »

candle-lighters, or “spills”…of coloured paper (Elizabeth Gaskell).

2. a splinter; sliver.

3. a pin or slender rod upon which anything turns; spindle.

4. a spile; bung.

╂[Middle English spille. Perhaps related to spile. (Cf. ↑spile)]