spread

[[t]sprɛd[/t]]

v. spread, spread•ing, n. adj.

1) to draw, stretch, or open out, esp. over a flat surface:

Spread out the blanket[/ex]

2) to extend out; move apart:

The bird spread its wings[/ex]

3) to distribute over an area of space or time:

to spread seed on the ground[/ex]

4) to apply in a thin layer or coating:

to spread butter on bread[/ex]

5) to extend as a covering:

to spread the sheet over the bed[/ex]

6) to set or prepare (a table) for a meal

7) to send out in various directions:

to spread light[/ex]

8) to cause to become widely known; disseminate:

to spread rumors[/ex]

9) phn to extend the aperture at (the lips) laterally, so as to reduce it vertically, in articulating a sound

10) to become stretched out or extended; expand

11) to become broadly distributed

12) cvb an act or instance of spreading

13) expansion; diffusion:

the spread of suspicion[/ex]

14) the extent of spreading:

to measure the spread of branches[/ex]

15) bus

a) the difference between the prices bid and asked of stock or a commodity

b) bus a commodities market transaction in which the call price is set above and the put price below the current market quotation

c) bus the difference between any two prices or rates for related costs

16) capacity for spreading

17) cvb a distance or range between two points

18) aer.

wingspan

19) an expanse of something:

a spread of timber[/ex]

20) a cloth covering for a bed, table, or the like, esp. a bedspread

21) inf Informal. an abundance of food set out on a table; feast

22) coo a food preparation for spreading, as jam or peanut butter

23) jou two facing pages, as of a book or newspaper

24) jou

a) an extensive display treatment of a topic in a newspaper or magazine

b) an advertisement or story covering one or more pages

25) landed property, as a farm or ranch

26) phn (of a speech sound) pronounced with spread lips, as the vowel (ē) in

tea[/ex]

•

- spread oneself thin

Etymology: 1150–1200; OE -sprǣdan, c. OS -spreidan, OHG spreitan