Top Pages
Home
A-Z Glossary
Punctuation
A-Z Confused Words
Common Mistakes
(ordered by seriousness) Top Tip
Get a grammar checker
for your browser ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists Tests and Games Awkward Plurals Sayings and Proverbs Twitter YouTube
(ordered by seriousness) Top Tip
Get a grammar checker
for your browser ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists Tests and Games Awkward Plurals Sayings and Proverbs Twitter YouTube
To Spill The Beans (Origin)
by Craig ShrivesWhat Is the Origin of the Saying "To Spill The Beans"?
Meaning to give away a secret or to confess, the term spill the beans derives from the electing of a council member in ancient Greece. Each council member would vote with either a white bean (yes) or a brown bean (no), and these would secretly be put into a jar, and no one would know which way the members voted. However, if the jar was knocked over causing the beans to spill out, the proportion of yes and no votes could be seen.Previous and Next Sayings
Test Your Knowledge of English Proverbs and Idioms
Ready for the Test?
More Proverbs, Sayings, and Idioms
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
Next lesson >