spread-eagle
1 of 3verb
spread-ea·gle ˈspred-ˌē-gəl 
spread-eagled; spread-eagling ˈspred-ˌē-g(ə-)liŋ
intransitive verb
1
: to execute a spread eagle (as in skating)
2
: to stand or move with arms and legs stretched out : sprawl
transitive verb
1
: to stretch out into the position of a spread eagle
2
: to spread over
spread-eagle
2 of 3adjective
: marked by bombast and boastful exaggeration especially of the greatness of the U.S.
spread-eagle oratory
spread eagle
3 of 3noun
1
: a representation of an eagle with wings raised and legs extended
2
: something resembling or suggestive of a spread eagle
specifically : a skating figure executed with the skates heel to heel in a straight line
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Feb. 2022 Mention it all, as The Real Housewives of New York’s Bethenny Frankel once shouted while doing No. 17, the spread eagle. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2021 There was the little boy who flung himself on the carpet, spread eagle-style; the student from Japan who became physically sick when his parents left; and several students who sobbed for hours. Dani Blum, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020 On the final point, a service return by Medvedev that sailed long, Nadal collapsed on his back, lay spread eagle for several moments and screamed into the night air. David Waldstein, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2019 Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo sneaked in behind the hosts' defence and slid his attempt past the spread eagle keeper to level things up, not only in the tie but also in the title chase, however, Los Blancos held the upper hand in the head-to-head. SI.com, 3 Feb. 2018
Noun
Messing’s nonjumping elements included some entertaining step sequences, including one with a spread eagle leading to a hydroblading move in which nearly his whole body is horizontal on the ice, his face seemingly touching the ice. Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Feb. 2022 Mention it all, as The Real Housewives of New York’s Bethenny Frankel once shouted while doing No. 17, the spread eagle. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2021 There was the little boy who flung himself on the carpet, spread eagle-style; the student from Japan who became physically sick when his parents left; and several students who sobbed for hours. Dani Blum, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2020 On the final point, a service return by Medvedev that sailed long, Nadal collapsed on his back, lay spread eagle for several moments and screamed into the night air. David Waldstein, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2019 Espanyol striker Raul Tamudo sneaked in behind the hosts' defence and slid his attempt past the spread eagle keeper to level things up, not only in the tie but also in the title chase, however, Los Blancos held the upper hand in the head-to-head. SI.com, 3 Feb. 2018 Word History
Etymology
Adjective
from the spread eagle on the Great Seal of the U.S.
First Known Use
Verb
1826, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Adjective
1853, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1
spread-eagle
adjective
as in chauvinist
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- chauvinist
- chauvinistic
- jingoist
- jingoistic
- antiforeign
- nativistic
- nativist
- patriotic
- superpatriotic
- nationalist
- xenophobic
- nationalistic
- loyal
- anti-immigrant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- internationalist