0592 Spill the tea - English Idioms

Explanation

To share gossip, secrets, or interesting, often dramatic, personal information.
Tea is slang for gossip or the inside scoop.

Origin

The term tea for gossip originates in Black culture, particularly among Black women and the Black queer community.
One theory links it to the tradition of women gathering for tea and conversation in the American South.
Another prominent origin is within drag culture, where T stands for Truth. Sharing the 'T' meant sharing the truth or facts, often juicy ones. This was popularized by figures like Lady Chablis in the book/movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and later through RuPaul's Drag Race.
Spilling the tea combines this slang for gossip/truth with the common idiom spill the beans (reveal a secret).
It became mainstream through internet culture, memes (like Kermit sipping tea), and social media in the 2010s.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

What's the goss? (Common, esp. UK/Aus)
Gimme the lowdown.
What's the 411? (Older slang, from US directory assistance number; means 'information')
Spit it out! (More impatient)

Milder/Standard:

Tell me what happened.
What's the news?
Fill me in.

More Formal (rarely used for gossip):

Please share the details.
Could you elaborate?

Situational Appropriateness

Very informal.
Exclusively for casual, social settings among friends or close acquaintances.
Completely inappropriate for formal or professional contexts. Discussing colleagues this way would be considered unprofessional gossip.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Someone unfamiliar might think it literally refers to spilling a beverage.
The term inherently relates to gossip, which can be perceived negatively depending on the context and tone.

Examples

Okay, spill the tea! What happened at the party after I left?
Come on, I know you have some tea to spill about Sarah and Tom.
The reunion episode was great; they spilled all the tea.

Dialogue

Friend A: You will not BELIEVE what I just heard about the boss.

Friend B: Ooh, really? Spill the tea! I'm all ears.

Friend A: Okay, so apparently, he's thinking of restructuring the whole department...

Friend B: No way! Where did you hear that?

Response Patterns

Agreement to share: Okay, okay, so here's what happened... / You didn't hear this from me, but...
Hesitation/Reluctance: Oh, I don't know if I should say... / It's not really my place...
Denial of having info: I don't know anything! / There's no tea to spill.
Asking for clarification: Tea about what?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After someone agrees to spill the tea:

Listen attentively.
Ask clarifying questions: Wait, who said that? / When did this happen?
React to the gossip: No way! / That's crazy! / I knew it!

After someone spills the tea:

Discuss the implications: What do you think will happen now?
Share related information: That reminds me...
Express opinion on the situation/people involved.

Conversation Starter

Yes, often used to prompt someone to share information they've hinted at. You look like you know something... come on, spill the tea!

Intonation

Often said with excitement, anticipation, or eagerness.
Stress usually falls on spill and tea. SPILL the TEA!
Can have a rising intonation, inviting the other person to share.

Generation Differences

Very common among Millennials and Gen Z.
Older generations understand spill the beans or dish the dirt but might be less familiar with spill the tea.

Regional Variations

Originated in the US (AAVE/Queer culture) but is now widely understood globally due to internet/media spread.

High-key

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[0592] Spill the tea