Idiom
Cry over spilled milk
To cry over spilled milk is to be upset about something bad that has already happened and cannot be changed.
How people use it
People usually use it in the negative, as advice: There's no use crying over spilled milk. It is said after small or medium losses: a missed bus, a dropped phone, a lost game. It is informal and a bit brisk, meaning stop worrying and move on. In British English the usual form is spilt milk, while American English prefers spilled. Be careful using it about serious losses, because it can sound dismissive.
Also said: cry over spilt milk, no use crying over spilled milk.
Examples
- The vase is broken, but there's no use crying over spilled milk; let's sweep it up.
- Leo missed the deadline, but his manager told him not to cry over spilled milk.
- We lost the first game, but nobody wanted to cry over spilt milk for long.
Where it comes from
The idea is centuries old. A 1659 collection of proverbs by James Howell included no weeping for shed milk. Writers in the 1800s used the form no use crying over spilt milk, and spilled later became the usual American spelling.
Check yourself
1. What does "Don't cry over spilled milk" mean?
Answer: Don't be upset about something you can't change. The saying tells you to move on from a loss that can't be undone.
2. Which form is more common in British English?
Answer: spilt milk. British English often uses spilt, while American English usually uses spilled.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in MILK.