# spill the beans

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˌspɪl ðə ˈbiːnz/

## Definitions
1. To reveal a secret; to disclose information.

## Etymology
First attested in 20th century American English. One possible origin for the phrase is from an Ancient Greek practice of using different-coloured beans for voting, where spilling the jar containing them would unwantedly reveal the results, though this might be folk etymology.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spill-the-beans