spread Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
    spreading.
  2. noun a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures
    gap.
    • gap between income and outgo
    • the spread between lending and borrowing costs
  3. noun farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
    ranch; cattle farm; cattle ranch.
  4. noun a haphazard distribution in all directions
    scatter.
  5. noun a tasty mixture to be spread on bread or crackers or used in preparing other dishes
    paste.
  6. noun a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed
    feast; banquet.
    • a banquet for the graduating seniors
    • the Thanksgiving feast
    • they put out quite a spread
  7. noun two facing pages of a book or other publication
    facing pages; spread head; spreadhead.
  8. noun the expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age)
    • she exercised to avoid that middle-aged spread
  9. noun decorative cover for a bed
    counterpane; bed cover; bedspread; bedcover; bed covering.
  10. noun act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time
    spreading.
  11. verb distribute or disperse widely
    distribute.
    • The invaders spread their language all over the country
  12. verb become distributed or widespread
    propagate.
    • the infection spread
    • Optimism spread among the population
  13. verb spread across or over
    overspread.
    • A big oil spot spread across the water
  14. verb spread out or open from a closed or folded state
    open; spread out; unfold.
    • open the map
    • spread your arms
  15. verb cause to become widely known
    circularise; disseminate; distribute; broadcast; circularize; disperse; pass around; propagate; diffuse; circulate.
    • spread information
    • circulate a rumor
    • broadcast the news
  16. verb become widely known and passed on
    go around; circulate.
    • the rumor spread
    • the story went around in the office
  17. verb strew or distribute over an area
    scatter; spread out.
    • He spread fertilizer over the lawn
    • scatter cards across the table
  18. verb move outward
    fan out; diffuse; spread out.
    • The soldiers fanned out
  19. verb cover by spreading something over
    • spread the bread with cheese
  20. verb distribute over a surface in a layer
    • spread cheese on a piece of bread
  21. adjective satellite distributed or spread over a considerable extent
    dispersed.
    • has ties with many widely dispersed friends
    • eleven million Jews are spread throughout Europe
  22. adjective satellite prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set out
    • a table spread with food
  23. adjective satellite fully extended in width
    outspread.
    • outspread wings
    • with arms spread wide

WordNet

Spread transitive verb
Etymology
OE. spreden, AS. sprædan; akin to D. spreiden, spreijen, LG. spreden, spreen, spreien, G. spreiten, Dan. sprede, Sw. sprida. Cf. Spray water flying in drops.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Spread; present participle & verbal noun Spreading
Definitions
  1. To extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand to a broad or broader surface or extent; to open; to unfurl; as, to spread a carpet; to spread a tent or a sail.
    He bought a parcel of a field where he had spread his tent. Gen. xxxiii. 19.
    Here the Rhone Hath spread himself a couch. Byron.
  2. To extend so as to cover something; to extend to a great or grater extent in every direction; to cause to fill or cover a wide or wider space.
    Rose, as in a dance, the stately trees, and spread Their branches hung with copious fruit. Milton.
  3. To divulge; to publish, as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively known; to disseminate; to make known fully; as, to spread a report; -- often acompanied by abroad.
    They, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Matt. ix. 31.
  4. To propagate; to cause to affect great numbers; as, to spread a disease.
  5. To diffuse, as emanations or effluvia; to emit; as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance.
  6. To strew; to scatter over a surface; as, to spread manure; to spread lime on the ground.
  7. To prepare; to set and furnish with provisions; as, to spread a table.
    Boiled the flesh, and spread the board. Tennyson.
    Evelyn. Syn. -- To diffuse; propogate; disperse; publish; distribute; scatter; circulate; disseminate; dispense.
Spread intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To extend in length and breadth in all directions, or in breadth only; to be extended or stretched; to expand.
    Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall. Bacon.
    Govrnor Winthrop, and his associates at Charlestown, had for a church a large, spreading tree. B. Trumbull.
  2. To be extended by drawing or beating; as, some metals spread with difficulty.
  3. To be made known more extensively, as news.
  4. To be propagated from one to another; as, the disease spread into all parts of the city. Shak.
Spread noun
Definitions
  1. Extent; compass.
    I have got a fine spread of improvable land. Addison.
  2. Expansion of parts.
    No flower hath spread like that of the woodbine. Bacon.
  3. A cloth used as a cover for a table or a bed. bedspread
  4. A table, as spread or furnished with a meal; hence, an entertainment of food; a feast. Colloq.
  5. A privilege which one person buys of another, of demanding certain shares of stock at a certain price, or of delivering the same shares of stock at another price, within a time agreed upon. Broker's Cant
  6. (Geom.) An unlimited expanse of discontinuous points.
Spread
Definitions
  1. imp. & p. p. of Spread, v.

Webster 1913