spread

v. & n.
—v. (past and past part. spread)
1 tr. (often foll. by out) a open or extend the surface of. b cause to cover a larger surface (spread butter on bread). c display to the eye or the mind (the view was spread out before us).
2 intr. (often foll. by out) have a wide or specified or increasing extent (on every side spread a vast desert; spreading trees).
3 intr. & tr. become or make widely known, felt, etc. (rumours are spreading; spread a little happiness).
4 tr. a cover the surface of (spread the wall with paint; a meadow spread with daisies). b lay (a table).
—n.
1 the act or an instance of spreading.
2 capability of expanding (has a large spread).
3 diffusion (spread of learning).
4 breadth, compass (arches of equal spread).
5 an aircraft's wing-span.
6 increased bodily girth (middle-aged spread).
7 the difference between two rates, prices, etc.
8 colloq. an elaborate meal.
9 a sweet or savoury paste for spreading on bread etc.
10 a bedspread.
11 printed matter spread across two facing pages or across more than one column.
12 US a ranch with extensive land.
Phrases and idioms:
spread eagle
1 a representation of an eagle with legs and wings extended as an emblem.
2 hist. a person secured with arms and legs spread out, esp. to be flogged. spread-eagle v.tr. (usu. as spread-eagled adj.)
)
1 place (a person) in this position.
2 defeat utterly.
3 spread out.
—adj. US bombastic, esp. noisily patriotic. spread oneself be lavish or discursive. spread one's wings see WING.
Derivatives:
spreadable adj. spreader n.
Etymology: OE -spraeligdan f. WG