spill-the-beans
/ˌspɪl.ðəˈbiːnz/To reveal a secret, often by accident or without meaning to. The secret is usually something others were trying to keep hidden. You can also use it when someone reveals a surprise on purpose.
- She spilled the beans about the surprise party.
- Don't spill the beans — nobody is supposed to know yet.
- He accidentally spilled the beans to the whole office.
Adinary Nuance
The folk etymology linking "spill the beans" to Greek voting jars is widely repeated but almost certainly invented — it appears nowhere in historical records close to the phrase's actual origin. What we do know is that in early American slang, "spill" already carried the meaning of "to blurt out" or "to let information escape," much like spilling a liquid you cannot gather back. Understanding this origin makes the idiom more memorable: just as you cannot un-spill a liquid, you cannot un-reveal a secret. This also explains why the phrase works equally well for accidental and deliberate disclosures — the emphasis is on the irreversible leak of information, not the intent behind it.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bật mí
- Spanish
- irse de la lengua
- Chinese
- 说漏嘴
- Japanese
- 秘密をばらす
- Korean
- 비밀을 터뜨리다
Etymology
The phrase entered American English in the early 1900s, with written examples appearing around 1908–1919. A popular folk story claims it comes from ancient Greek voting, where colored beans in a jar were accidentally knocked over to expose votes early — but most language historians consider this a myth invented long after the phrase was already in use.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'spill the beans' formal or informal?
- It is informal. It works well in everyday conversation, casual writing, and friendly emails. Avoid it in formal reports, legal documents, or professional business presentations — use 'disclose' or 'reveal' instead.
- What is the difference between 'spill the beans' and 'let the cat out of the bag'?
- They mean almost the same thing. 'Let the cat out of the bag' is more strongly associated with accidental slips, while 'spill the beans' is used comfortably for both accidental and deliberate revelations. In daily speech, most native speakers use them interchangeably.
- Does 'spill the beans' only mean revealing something by accident?
- No — it covers both accidental and intentional disclosures. You can say 'She spilled the beans on purpose to embarrass him' and it sounds completely natural.
- Where did the 'beans' in 'spill the beans' come from?
- Honestly, no one is certain. The most honest answer is that 'spill' was early American slang for 'to blurt out,' and 'beans' may have just been colorful slang for information or the contents of a secret. The popular Greek-voting-jar story is almost certainly a later invention.