What is the literal meaning of spill the beans?

Disclose a secret or reveal something prematurely, as in You can count on little Carol to spill the beans about the surprise. In this colloquial expression, first recorded in 1919, spill means “divulge,” a usage dating from the 1500s.

Where does the expression spilling the beans come from?

Spilling the beans: According to the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms, by Marvin Terban, (via the Write Blog), this probably dates back to the ancient Greek method of placing black or white beans in a jar to cast votes. If someone spilled the jar of beans, the election results would be known prematurely.

Is the phrase spill the beans an idiom?

Look at the picture and try to guess the meaning of the idiom ‘spill the beans. ‘ Spill the beans: to tell someone a secret or tell information before you were supposed to.

Is spilling the beans a metaphor?

1 Answer. The only difference between spill the beans and spill the metaphorical beans is that one employs an obvious idiom whereas the other assumes the listener is learned enough to know what metaphorical means but ignorant to the non-literal nature of the expression spill the beans.

Why would you spill your beans?

When you spill the beans, you give away private information. If your friend warns you not to spill the beans, it means she doesn’t want you to tell anyone her secret.

What figure of speech is spilled the beans?

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What does my sister spilled the beans mean?

When you spill the beans, you give away private information. You might, for example, spill the beans about the surprise party your sister was planning for your dad — and then worry that your sister is going to be furious.

What is the idiom of can’t swing a cat?

or room to swing a cat. phrase. If you say ‘There’s no room to swing a cat’ or ‘You can’t swing a cat’, you mean that the place you are talking about is very small or crowded. It was described as a large, luxury mobile home, but there was barely room to swing a cat. See full dictionary entry for cat.

What does the idiom egg on the face mean?

Meaning: To look foolish or be embarrassed. Example: Terry had egg on his face after boasting that the examinations were really easy, but ended up failing most of his papers.

What is the meaning of the lighthouse movie?

The Lighthouse combines mythology and mood to tell a story about people who don’t understand themselves. Like the fire Prometheus nabbed from the gods, the light at the top of the tower represents everything, all knowledge, and in looking into it Thomas understood everything, all at once.

How do you use spill the beans in a sentence?

My sister is not good at keep secrets. She always spills the beans, whenever I tell her something. I don’t like it when people don’t keep secrets, and they spill the beans. I am sure that my dogs will not spill the beans, when I tell them something.

What does spill the beans mean in idioms?

Definition of spill the beans in the Idioms Dictionary. spill the beans phrase. What does spill the beans expression mean? Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Spill the beans – Idioms by The Free Dictionary https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/spill+the+beans Printer Friendly

What did Michaela spill the beans on in spilled the beans?

Jacqui finds a way of satisfying the debt collector while Michaela threatens to spill the beans about Amy’s pregnancy. The Scot will spill the beans on her divorce from ex-Toploader guitarist Dan Hipgrave as well as her battle to deal with hairloss condition alopecia. Dictionary browser ? Full browser ? ▼

What is the meaning of the word bean?

Definitions include: see flick (one’s) bean. Definitions include: time to eat. Definitions include: phrase used to indicate that something is very good, excellent, ” cool “. Definitions include: to masturbate. Definitions include: to stimulate the clitoris. Definitions include: female masturbation. Definitions include: coffee.

What does the word’spilt the beans’mean?

(Nautical Terms) nautical to let (wind) escape from a sail or (of the wind) to escape from a sail 7. (Civil Engineering) short for spillway 9. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) Austral the declaring of several political jobs vacant when one higher up becomes so: the Prime Minister’s resignation could mean a Cabinet spill. 2.