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.

What does the saying spill the beans mean?

2. To spill the beans. Meaning: To reveal a secret. Origin: This is likely drawn from the ancient Greek process of voting, where votes were cast by placing one of two different colored beans in a vase (usually a white bean meant yes, and a black/brown one meant no).

How do you use the phrase spill the beans?

The phrase “spill the beans” means to reveal information that was meant to be kept private. An example of it in a sentence is: “He spilled the beans about the surprise party.”