spill the beans
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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.
QUIZ
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Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Words nearby spill the beans
Spillane, spillikin, spillikins, spillover, spillproof, spill the beans, spillway, spilt, spilth, spim, spin
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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