Spill
/spɪl/noun
To cause or allow liquid to flow out of a container, or to let something slip out unintentionally.
Did you know?English spill is ancient Germanic, and its history shows a recurring pattern in language: the same root that once meant physical scattering can later become the perfect metaphor for revealing hidden information.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spel-
“to split, break apart”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*spillaną
“to destroy, break up, scatter”
Old English
OE
spillan
“to destroy, kill, waste, ruin”
Middle English
ME
spillen
“to destroy, waste; later, to let fall or flow out”
Modern English
English
spill
“to cause or allow liquid to flow out unintentionally”