English idiom · neutral · spoken & written · BrE & AmE

spill the beans: meaning and examples

spill the beans means reveal a secret.

Memory hook: Build a clear mental picture from “spill the beans” and connect it to this meaning: reveal a secret.

How to use “spill the beans”

Common mistake: Treat “spill the beans” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.

Learn it in context

This expression belongs to Lesson 4, where you can compare it with other idioms about food and practise it interactively.

Open the full lesson →

Related tools

Compare similar expressions