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spill the beans

 - 3 dictionary results

bean

  [been]
Use spill the beans in a Sentence
–noun
1. the edible nutritious seed of various plants of the legume family, esp. of the genus Phaseolus.
2. a plant producing such seeds.
3. the pod of such a plant, esp. when immature and eaten as a vegetable.
4. any of various other beanlike seeds or plants, as the coffee bean.
5. Slang.
a. a person's head.
b. a coin or a bank note considered as a coin: I can't pay for the ticket, I don't have a bean in my jeans.
6. British Informal. a minimum amount of money: They've been disinherited and now haven't a bean.
7. beans, Informal. the slightest amount: He doesn't know beans about navigation.
–verb (used with object)
8. Slang. to hit on the head, esp. with a baseball.
–interjection
9. beans, (used to express disbelief, annoyance, etc.).
—Idioms
10. full of beans, Informal.
a. energetic; vigorously active; vital: He is still full of beans at 95.
b. stupid; erroneous; misinformed.
11. spill the beans, Informal. to disclose a secret, either accidentally or imprudently, thereby ruining a surprise or plan: He spilled the beans, and she knew all about the party in advance.
Origin:
bef. 950; ME bene, OE bēan; c. ON baun, OFris bāne, D boon, OS, OHG bona (G Bohne), prob. < Gmc *babnō, c. Russ bob, L faba < European IE *bhabh-

Related forms:
beanlike, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To spill the beans
bean   (bēn)   
n.  

    1. Any of various New World twining herbs of the genus Phaseolus in the pea family, having leaves with three leaflets, variously colored flowers, and edible pods and seeds.

    2. A seed or pod of any of these plants.

  2. Any of several related plants or their seeds or pods, such as the adzuki bean, broad bean, or soybean.

  3. Any of various other plants or their seeds or fruits, especially those suggestive of beans, such as the coffee bean or the vanilla bean.

  4. Slang A person's head.

  5. beans Slang A small amount: I don't know beans about investing.

  6. Chiefly British A fellow; a chap.

tr.v.   beaned, bean·ing, beans Slang
To hit (another) on the head with a thrown object, especially a pitched baseball.

[Middle English ben, broad bean, from Old English bēan; see bha-bhā- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Idioms & Phrases

spill the beans

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.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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