spray

noun

/spreɪ/

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[uncountable, countable] very small drops of a liquid that are sent through the air, for example by the wind
- The advertisement showed a group of horsemen on the beach, galloping through the sea spray.
- A cloud of fine spray came up from the waterfall.
- (figurative) a spray of machine-gun bullets
Extra Examples
- Spray flew up onto the rocks.
- The boat sent a cloud of spray up behind it.
- a spray of salt water
- The skunk is capable of ejecting a spray of foul-smelling liquid.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- fine
- light
- salt
- …
… of spray
- cloud
- plume
verb + spray
- send
- send up
- throw
- …
spray + verb
- fly
- fly up
preposition
- spray of
See full entry
[uncountable, countable] (especially in compounds) a substance that is forced out of a container such as an aerosol, in very small drops
- a can of insect spray (= used to kill insects)
- body spray
- a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray
see also hairspray, pepper spray
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- bug
- fly
- body
- …
verb + spray
- apply
- use
spray + noun
- bottle
- can
- paint
- …
See full entry
[countable] a device or container, for example an aerosol, that you use to apply liquid in fine drops
- a throat spray
- Use a spray to apply the weedkiller.
[countable] an act of applying liquid to something in very small drops
- I gave the plants a quick spray.
[countable] a small branch of a tree or plant, with its leaves and flowers or berries, that you use for decoration synonym sprig
[countable] an attractive arrangement of flowers or jewellery, that you wear
- a spray of orchids

Word Originnoun senses 1 to 4 early 17th cent. (earlier as spry): related to Middle Dutch spra(e)yen ‘sprinkle’. noun senses 5 to 6 Middle English: representing late Old English (e)sprei, recorded in personal and place names, of unknown origin.

spray

verb

/spreɪ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they spray	/spreɪ/ /spreɪ/
he / she / it sprays	/spreɪz/ /spreɪz/
past simple sprayed	/spreɪd/ /spreɪd/
past participle sprayed	/spreɪd/ /spreɪd/
-ing form spraying	/ˈspreɪɪŋ/ /ˈspreɪɪŋ/

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[transitive, intransitive] to cover somebody/something with very small drops of a liquid that are forced out of a container or sent through the air
- spray (something) (on/onto/over somebody/something) Spray the conditioner onto your wet hair.
- Champagne sprayed everywhere.
- spray somebody/something (with something) The crops are regularly sprayed with pesticide.
- spray something + adj. She's had the car sprayed blue.
[transitive, intransitive] to cover somebody/something with a lot of small things with a lot of force
- spray somebody/something with something The gunman sprayed the building with bullets.
- + adv./prep. Pieces of glass sprayed all over the room.
[intransitive] (especially of a male cat) to leave small amounts of urine to mark its own area

Word Originverb early 17th cent. (earlier as spry): related to Middle Dutch spra(e)yen ‘sprinkle’.