Crossword Genius

Spillage of tear, or novice crying over spilt milk? (12)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

overreaction

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'crying over spilt milk?' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.

'spillage of tear or novice' is the wordplay.
'spillage of' is an anagram indicator.
'tear'+'or'+'novice'='tearornovice'
'tearornovice' anagrammed gives 'OVERREACTION'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for overreaction that I've seen before include "Excessive response" , "Extreme response" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.