[f. SPILL v.]
1. A throw from a horse or vehicle; a fall or tumble; an upset.
a. 1845. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. III. Blasphemer’s Warn., 355. Cursing his fill At his courser because he had given him a ‘spill.’
1876. Chambers’ Jrnl., 29 July, 493/1. During the struggle [in polo] … mishaps now and then occur—happy if only a spill.
1895. G. Meredith, Amazing Marriage, xv. The coach rocked, they were sharp on a spill midway of the last descent.
2. A downpouring or dropping of liquid; a quantity spilled.
c. 1848. J. Keegan, Leg. & Poems (1907), 482. If a spill of my heart’s blood could be of any comfort to the poor creature, he should be welcome to it.
1888. G. H. Boughton, in Harper’s Mag., Dec., 87/1. Soon the rain left off for a moment, gathering itself together again for another spill.
b. A channel or passage for the escape of surplus water; a ‘spill-way.’
1900. Westm. Gaz., 19 July, 2/1. The waters flow down many spills and channels, though at present there are two main branches.
3. Naut. A slight breeze.
1899. Daily News, 20 July, 8/3. They found a spill from the stern again taking the ships on the starboard aft.
