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1. Dictionary

   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

     3

   • R

     1

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • D

     2

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   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

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. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishMeaning of spread – Learner’s Dictionary - Cambridge 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.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionarySPREAD | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

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

5. dictionary.cambridge.org › thesaurus › spreadSPREAD - 152 Synonyms and Antonyms - Cambridge English

   dictionary.cambridge.org › thesaurus › spread

   • Cached

   spread. in English. spread. Thesaurus > to put something over someone or something > spread. These are words and phrases related to spread. Click on any word or phrase to go to its thesaurus page. Or, go to the definition of spread.

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

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   SPREAD OUT definition: 1. If people spread out, they move from being close together in a group to being in different…. Learn more.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › zhs › 词典SPREAD在剑桥英语词典中的解释及翻译 - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › zhs › 词典

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   to affect more and more places, people, or things, or to make something do this: Discontent among junior ranks was rapidly spreading. If disease is allowed to spread, it will cause widespread devastation. The virus is spread through contact with blood and other body fluids.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english-chinese-simplifiedSPREAD in Simplified Chinese - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english-chinese-simplified

   • Cached

   扩散，蔓延. The spread of the disease in the last few years has been alarming. 近几年这种疾病的广泛传播着实令人担忧。. Fewer examples. The government is trying to allay public fears about the spread of the disease. The treatment has so far done little to arrest the spread of the cancer.

9. dictionary.cambridge.org › es › diccionarioSPREAD | traducir al español - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › es › diccionario

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   noun. / sprɛd/. [ singular ] the fact that sth continues to affect more people, a larger area, etc. expansión [ feminine, singular ] propagación [ feminine, singular ] the spread of the disease la propagación de la enfermedad. attempts to slow the spread of violence intentos de frenar la propagación de la violencia.

10. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english-spanishSPREAD | translate English to Spanish - Cambridge Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english-spanish

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    SPREAD translate: extender, extenderse, esparcir, propagar, propagarse, untar, extender, expansión, propagación…. Learn more in the Cambridge English-Spanish Dictionary.

11. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishWIDESPREAD | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

    • Cached

    WIDESPREAD definition: 1. existing or happening in many places and/or among many people: 2. existing or happening in many…. Learn more.