What does spilled mean?
“Spilled” is the past tense and past participle of “spill,” a common verb meaning that liquid, small particles, or the contents of a container have fallen or flowed out, often accidentally. A person can spill coffee, a vehicle can spill fuel, and an argument can spill over into other matters. The word may also mean to release or disclose something informally, most famously in the idiom “spill the beans.” When used before a noun, as in “spilled milk,” it functions as a participial adjective describing the material that has been released from its container. In everyday use, “spilled” often carries an implication of carelessness, clumsiness, or lack of control, though this can vary according to context. Spilling an intentional drink can be playful or strategic, while an industrial spill may have serious environmental consequences. The word is standard in both British and American English and is fully standard in formal writing as well as conversation.
To cause liquid, contents, or loose material to fall or flow out of a container, usually accidentally.
"He spilled his drink while reaching for the remote control."
The sense can be extended metaphorically to the informal disclosure of information, as in “spill the beans.”
Having fallen or flowed out of a container; containing or consisting of scattered or discharged material.
"She wiped up the spilled milk with a paper towel."
This is a participial use common in phrases such as “spilled coffee,” “spilled oil,” and “spilled ink.”
One drop can stain a shirt, but “spill the beans” can reveal an entire secret.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does spilled come from?
The verb comes from Old English “spyllan,” meaning to scatter or cause liquid to flow out. It developed through Middle English forms such as “spilen” into modern “spill,” whose past tense and past participle are “spilled.” Related forms include the noun “spillage” and “spillway,” a channel constructed to carry away excess water.
Related word forms
How spilled is actually used
“Spilled” is the standard past tense and past participle of “spill” in British and American English. It is also used attributively, especially in phrases such as “spilled milk” and “spilled oil.”