spill
spill
UK[spɪl]US[spɪl]
v
To cause or allow a liquid, powder, or other substance to flow out of its container, usually by accident.
v
To come out of a container in this way.
n
An act of spilling something, or the amount spilled.
Etymology
The word "spill" originates from the Old English spillan, meaning "to destroy, kill, or waste." This sense of destruction and loss is the conceptual bridge to its modern meaning. It is related to other Germanic words like Old High German spildan (to destroy) and Old Norse spilla (to destroy or spoil). Over time, the meaning softened and narrowed from the general idea of causing loss or ruin to the specific, common accident of causing a liquid to be lost from its container. This evolution illustrates how a broad, often violent, action word can become specialized for a mundane domestic mishap.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. The modern form represents a unified root.
Examples
Be careful not to spill your coffee on the keyboard.
The tanker accident caused a major oil spill in the harbor.
Light spilled into the dark room from the open door.