spill the beans Definition

bean
noun

1. A general name applied to the edible kidney-shaped seeds of plants belonging to the pea family, especially those of the runner bean.
2. Any plant belonging to the pea family that bears such seeds, eg broad bean, haricot bean.
3. cookery.
A seed or young pod of such a plant, used as food.
Form: beans (usually)
4. Any other seed that superficially resembles those of the pea family, eg coffee bean.
5. colloq
A small coin; a tiny amount of money.
Example: I haven't got a bean
Example: Have you any cash left? Not a bean
(US)
6. slang
A head or brain.
(US)
7. slang
Anything at all.
Example: Don't ask him, he doesn't know beans
Form: beans

verb

(US)
beaned, beaning
1. slang
To hit someone on the head with something.

Idiom: full of beans

colloq
Full of energy; very lively and cheerful.

Idiom: know how many beans make five

colloq
To be fully alert and clued-up; to know what's what.

Derivative: old bean

See separate entry.

Idiom: spill the beans

See under spill¹.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon.

---

spill¹
verb spilt (past tense, past participle), spilled, spilling (present participle)

tr & intr
1. To run or flow or cause (a liquid, etc) to run or flow out from a container, especially accidentally.

Thesaurus: overflow, scatter, shed, slop, discharge, disgorge.
intr
2. To come or go in large crowds, especially quickly.

Example: The spectators spilled onto the pitch
3. To shed (blood, especially that of other people).

Example: a terrible war in which a lot of blood was spilled
4. colloq
To throw from a vehicle or saddle.

noun

1. An act of spilling.
2. colloq
A fall, especially from a vehicle or horse.

Idiom: spill the beans

colloq
To reveal confidential information, either inadvertently or deliberately.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon spillan.

Phrasal Verb: spill over

To overflow or go beyond. See also spillover.