spread /spred/

1. To cause to extend more widely or more thinly
2. To scatter or disseminate abroad or in all directions
3. To stretch
4. To extend, esp over a surface
5. To apply (a soft substance) by smoothing it over a surface
6. To open out so as to cover a wider surface
7. To force apart
8. To overlay
9. To set with provisions, as a table

1. To extend or expand
2. To be extended or stretched
3. To become bigger or fatter
4. To open out
5. To go or be forced further apart
6. To unfold
7. To be capable of being spread
8. To be propagated, circulated or disseminated

1. Extent
2. Compass
3. Reach
4. Expanse
5. An expanded surface
6. The act or degree of spreading
7. An expansion
8. The process of becoming bigger or fatter
9. An array of food, a feast
10. Anything for spreading on bread
11. A cover, esp a bedcover
12. A ranch (N American)
13. A double page, ie two facing pages (printing)
14. A large property with grounds (informal)
15. The gap between the bid and offer price of shares (stock exchange)
16. The anticipated winning margin in a sporting event (gambling)

1. Extended
2. (of sounds) made with the lips stretched sideways (phonetics)
3. (of a gemstone) flat and shallow

spreadˈable adjective

spreadˈer noun

1. A machine for spreading bulk materials, eg manure spreader
2. A spatula or similar implement for spreading, eg butter, paint, etc
3. A device for spreading and keeping apart parallel objects, eg rails, electric wires
4. Someone who, or something that, spreads

spreadˈing noun and adjective

spreadˈingly adverb

spread betting noun

A form of gambling in which people stake money on whether the numerical outcome of an event will be higher or lower than a stated amount

spread eagle noun

1. A heraldic eagle with the wings and legs stretched out, the emblem of the USA
2. (anything adopting or placed in) a position in which the limbs are stretched out
3. A skating figure

spreadˈ-eagle adjective

1. In, or adopting, the position of a spread eagle
2. Bombastic, boastful, and frothy, esp in American patriotism

transitive verb

1. To tie up with outstretched limbs
2. To spread out
3. To outrun

intransitive verb

1. To cut, do or make, spread eagles
2. To lie, fall, etc with outstretched limbs
3. To talk in spread-eagle strain

spread-eaˈgleism noun

spread-eaˈglewise adverb

spreadˈ-over noun

1. An act of spreading out
2. An elastic distribution of working hours

spreadˈsheet or spreadsheet program noun (computing)

A program with which data, formatted in rows and columns of cells, can be viewed on a screen and manipulated to make projections, calculations, etc

spread a plate (horse-racing)

(of a horse) to lose a shoe or racing plate, esp before or during a race

spread oneself too thin

To attempt so many tasks at once that none is done satisfactorily

spread one's wings

1. To try one's powers or capabilities
2. To increase the area of one's activities

• headmaster
• headmasters
• headmastership
• headmasterships
• headmen
• headmistress
• headmistresses
• headmistress-ship
• headmistress-ships
• head money
• headmost
• headnote
• headnotes
• head off
• head of state
• head-on
• head over heels
• headpeace
• headphone
• headphones
• headpiece
• headpieces
• headquartered
• headquarters
• headrace