verb phrase🎓 English idiom

cry over spilled milk

to be upset about something that can't be undone

What it means

To waste time and energy worrying or complaining about a past mistake or misfortune that cannot now be changed. It is often used to advise someone to stop dwelling on the past and move on.

Examples

  • I know you failed the exam, but there's no use crying over spilled milk now.
  • She lost the deal, yet she refuses to cry over spilled milk and is already planning ahead.
  • Stop crying over spilled milk; the car is sold and we can't get it back.
  • He cried over spilled milk for weeks after the missed promotion instead of reapplying.

Where it comes from

The phrase dates to at least the 17th century, with an early form recorded by James Howell in 1659. The image is of milk that, once spilled, cannot be gathered back up, making regret pointless.

Related idioms

#water under the bridge#let sleeping dogs lie#beat a dead horse#no pain, no gain

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