Spill the beans
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Reveal secret or previously hidden information, often indiscreetly or sooner than intended.
Origin
The phrase arose in American slang in the early twentieth century. Early sporting examples used spill the beans to mean spoil an expected result or upset plans, including newspaper reports from 1902 and 1907. By 1911 it was being used for divulging information, the sense familiar today. The beans may simply be a playful filler, and their precise significance is unknown. The often repeated story about spilling beans used as ballots in ancient Greece is unsupported by the evidence.
Research Sources
Variants
- Spill all the beans
Usage Examples
- Maya spilled the beans about the promotion before the official announcement.
- Tell us who arranged the surprise - go on, spill the beans.
- One careless message spilled the beans and ruined months of secret planning.