To spill means to accidentally cause liquid to flow out of its container and spread where it shouldn't be. When you knock over a glass of milk at dinner, you've spilled it. When paint tips over and runs across the floor, it spills. The word captures that moment when something liquid escapes its boundaries, usually by accident.

The word works for more than just liquids, though. People can spill out of a building after a fire drill, meaning they pour through the doors quickly and spread across the yard. Light can spill through a doorway into a dark room. When someone spills the beans, they reveal a secret they were supposed to keep, as if the information escaped like water from a tipped cup.

Spills happen to everyone. A small spill at breakfast is no disaster. A major oil spill in the ocean, however, can harm wildlife and ecosystems for years. The same word applies, but the consequences can differ wildly based on what spilled and where.