Spill \Spill\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spilt (sp[i^]lt); p. pr. &
   vb. n. Spilling.]
   To cover or decorate with slender pieces of wood, metal,
   ivory, etc.; to inlay. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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Spill \Spill\ (sp[i^]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spilled
   (sp[i^]ld), or Spilt (sp[i^]lt); p. pr. & vb. n.
   Spilling.] [OE. spillen, usually, to destroy, AS. spillan,
   spildan, to destroy; akin to Icel. spilla to destroy, Sw.
   spilla to spill, Dan. spilde, LG. & D. spillen to squander,
   OHG. spildan.]
   1. To destroy; to kill; to put an end to. [Obs.]
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            And gave him to the queen, all at her will
            To choose whether she would him save or spill.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            Greater glory think [it] to save than spill.
                                                  --Spenser.
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   2. To mar; to injure; to deface; hence, to destroy by misuse;
      to waste. [Obs.]
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            They [the colors] disfigure the stuff and spill the
            whole workmanship.                    --Puttenham.
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            Spill not the morning, the quintessence of day, in
            recreations.                          --Fuller.
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   3. To suffer to fall or run out of a vessel; to lose, or
      suffer to be scattered; -- applied to fluids and to
      substances whose particles are small and loose; as, to
      spill water from a pail; to spill quicksilver from a
      vessel; to spill powder from a paper; to spill sand or
      flour.
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   Note: Spill differs from pour in expressing accidental loss,
         -- a loss or waste contrary to purpose.
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   4. To cause to flow out and be lost or wasted; to shed, or
      suffer to be shed, as in battle or in manslaughter; as, a
      man spills another's blood, or his own blood.
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            And to revenge his blood so justly spilt. --Dryden.
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   5. (Naut.) To relieve a sail from the pressure of the wind,
      so that it can be more easily reefed or furled, or to
      lessen the strain.
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   Spilling line (Naut.), a rope used for spilling, or
      dislodging, the wind from the belly of a sail. --Totten.
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