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   spread

   /sprɛd/

   verb

   • 1. open out (something) so as to extend its surface area, width, or length: "I spread a towel on the sand and sat down" Similar lay outopen outunfurlunrollroll outshake outstraighten outfan outstretch outextendliterary:outspreadOpposite fold up
   • ▪ stretch out (arms, legs, hands, fingers, or wings) so that they are far apart: "Bobby spread his arms wide"
   • 2. extend over a large or increasing area: "rain over north-west Scotland will spread south-east during the day" Similar growincreaseescalateadvancedevelopbroadenexpandwidenproliferatemushroommetastasize
   • ▪ (of a group of people) move apart so as to cover a wider area: "the Marines spread out across the docks"
   • ▪ distribute or disperse (something) over an area: "volcanic eruptions spread dust high into the stratosphere" Similar scatterstrewdisperseliterary:bestrew
   • ▪ gradually reach or cause to reach a wider area or more people: "the violence spread from the city centre to the suburbs" Similar disseminatecirculatepass onput aboutcommunicatediffusemake publicmake knownpurveybroadcastpublicizepropagatepromulgaterepeatliterary:bruit about/abroadOpposite suppress
   • ▪ (of people, animals, or plants) become distributed over a large or larger area: "the owls have spread as far north as Kuala Lumpur"
   • ▪ distribute in a specified way: "you can spread the payments over as long a period as you like"
   • 3. apply (a substance) to an object or surface in an even layer: "he sighed, spreading jam on a croissant" Similar smeardaubplasterslatherlatherapplyputsmoothrub
   • ▪ cover (a surface) with a substance in an even layer: "spread each slice thinly with mayonnaise" Similar covercoatlayerdaubsmotherbutter
   • ▪ be able to be applied in an even layer: "a tub of unsalted butter that spreads so well"
   • 4. lay (a table) for a meal. archaic

   noun

   • 1. the fact or process of spreading over an area: "warmer temperatures could help reduce the spread of the disease" Similar expansionproliferationextensiongrowthmushroomingincreaseescalationbuildoutadvanceadvancementdevelopmentdisseminationdiffusiontransmissionpropagation
   • 2. the extent, width, or area covered by something: "the male's antlers can attain a spread of six feet" Similar spanwidthextentstretchreach
   • ▪ the wingspan of a bird: "the red-tailed hawk has a four-and-a-half-foot spread"
   • ▪ an expanse or amount of something: "the green spread of the park" Similar expanseareasweepstretch
   • ▪ a large farm or ranch. North American
   • 3. the range or variety of something: "a wide spread of ages" Similar rangespanspectrumsweepvariety
   • ▪ the difference between two rates or prices: "the very narrow spread between borrowing and deposit rates"
   • ▪ short for point spread
   • 4. a soft paste that can be applied in a layer to bread or other food: "low-fat spreads"
   • 5. an article or advertisement covering several columns or pages of a newspaper or magazine, especially one on two facing pages: "a double-page spread"
   • 6. a large and impressively elaborate meal: informal "his mother laid on a huge spread" Similar large/elaborate mealfeastbanquetrepastinformal:blowoutnosh
   • 7. a bedspread: North American "a patchwork spread" Similar bedspreadbedcovercovercoverletthrowafghaneiderdowncomforterdated:counterpane

   Word Origin Old English-sprǣdan (used in combinations), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch spreiden and German spreiten.

   Derivatives

   • 1. spreadable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • S

     1

   • P

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   • R

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2. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishSPREAD | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   SPREAD definition: 1. to cover or reach a wider or increasing area, or to make something do this: 2. to affect more…. Learn more.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spreadSpread Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › spread

   • Cached

   1. a. : to open or expand over a larger area. spread out the map. b. : to stretch out : extend. spread its wings for flight. 2. a. : to distribute over an area. spread fertilizer. b. : to distribute over a period or among a group. spread the work over a few weeks. c. : to apply on a surface. spread butter on bread.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › spreadSPREAD Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › spread

   • Cached

   Spread definition: to draw, stretch, or open out, especially over a flat surface, as something rolled or folded (often followed by out).. See examples of SPREAD used in a sentence.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishSPREAD definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   If something spreads or is spread by people, it gradually reaches or affects a larger and larger area or more and more people. The industrial revolution which started a couple of hundred years ago in Europe is now spreading across the world.

6. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spreadSpread - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › spread

   When something is spread, it's stretched or extended as far as it can go. It's a beautiful sight to see a bald eagle spread its wings and fly. When you spread a picnic blanket on the ground, you open it and stretch it across the grass.

7. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishspread verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of spread verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishSPREAD | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   SPREAD definition: 1. to arrange something so that it covers a large area: 2. to arrange for something to happen over…. Learn more.

9. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › spreadspread | meaning of spread in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary...

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › spread

   • Cached

   spread meaning, definition, what is spread: if something spreads or is spread, it be...: Learn more.

10. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_englishspread verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

    www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › american_english

    • Cached

    [intransitive, transitive] to affect or make something affect, be known by, or used by more and more people (+ adv./prep.) The disease spreads easily. Within weeks, his confidence had spread throughout the team.

11. www.thefreedictionary.com › spreadSpread - definition of spread by The Free Dictionary

    www.thefreedictionary.com › spread

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    vb, spreads, spreading or spread. 1. to extend or unfold or be extended or unfolded to the fullest width: she spread the map on the table. 2. to extend or cause to extend over a larger expanse of space or time: the milk spread all over the floor; the political unrest spread over several years.