Spill the beans means to reveal a secret. It fits when someone gives away something that was supposed to stay hidden, either too early or by accident: a surprise, news of a wedding, the terms of a deal. The literal picture is beans spilling out of a bag. The idiom is playful and informal; in an essay, use the verb reveal instead.
When would you say spill the beans?
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spill the beans + about + noun; spill the beans + to + person; Come on, spill the beans!
- My colleague spilled the beans to the client before the new prices were officially announced.
- Come on, spill the beans! How did your first date go?
- The actor almost spilled the beans about the film's ending during a live interview.
What changed
First versionMy sister spilled beans about my new job before I could tell our parents.
RevisionMy sister spilled the beans about my new job before I could tell our parents.
The article the is essential in this idiom, even though it is easy to leave out. Without it, spilled beans reads literally: the sister dropped some beans. Only the was added in the correction.
Spill the beans is used for everyday secrets: a surprise, someone else's news, plans. They can be given away carelessly or on purpose. When official documents are passed to journalists, news reports use leak: The documents were leaked to the press. And Come on, spill the beans! is a playful request to tell everything you know.
Your turn
We were planning a surprise trip to Rome for Mum's birthday, but my little brother ___ at dinner, so the surprise was ruined.
Show the answer
spilled the beans — The surprise was ruined, so the brother gave the secret away at dinner: spilled the beans. Held his tongue means “kept quiet”, and then the surprise would have worked.
Think of a time when someone revealed a secret too early: a surprise, a present or some news. Say who let it slip and what happened as a result.
My cousin spilled the beans about our engagement, so Grandma heard the news before my parents did.
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