verb | noun
spreadspread1 /sprɛd/ ●●● S2 W2 verb (past tense and past participle spread) 1
AFFECT MORE PEOPLE/PLACES [intransitive, transitive] if an activity, problem, feeling, etc. spreads or someone or something spreads it, it starts involving or affecting more and more people or places: As violence spreads, more people are leaving their homes.spread throughout/to/across etc. The practice has spread from cities to villages.spread something throughout/to/across etc. something The attacks spread terror throughout the region.2LIQUID/FIRE ETC. [intransitive, transitive] if liquid, fire, smoke, etc. spreads or someone or something spreads it, it moves so that it covers a larger area: The forest fire is spreading out of control.spread through/across/over etc. A pool of liquid started to spread across the floor.spread something through/across/over etc. something High winds have spread the flames to neighboring houses.3DISEASE a)[intransitive, transitive] if disease spreads or someone or something spreads it, it is passed from one person or animal to another so that it affects more and more people or animals: The disease spread rapidly among the poor. Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. b)[intransitive] to affect more and more of someone’s body: spread to The cancer has spread to her liver.4INFORMATION/IDEAS a)[intransitive] to become known about by more and more people: spread to/through/over etc. Rumors about Amy spread through the school. Word spread that Mitchell had resigned. News of her arrival spread like wildfire (=became known very quickly). b)[transitive] to tell a lot of people about something: Johnson is working to spread the word about the benefits of prenatal care.spread lies/rumors/gossip After they broke up, he spread nasty rumors about her.5OPEN/ARRANGE [transitive] to open something so that it covers a bigger area, or arrange a group of things so that they cover a flat surface SYN spread out: spread something on/over/across etc. something He spread a towel on the sand. She spread her papers across the table.6SOFT SUBSTANCE a)[transitive] to put a soft substance onto a surface in order to cover it: spread something on/over something She spread the frosting evenly over the cake.spread something with something Spread the bread lightly with butter. b)[intransitive] to be soft enough to be put onto a surface in order to cover it: If you warm up the butter, it’ll spread more easily.7THROUGHOUT AN AREA spread across/over/throughout etc. something (also be spread across/over etc. something) to cover, stretch, or exist over a large area SYN spread out: Water lilies spread across the surface of the pond. The 250 stores are spread throughout the country.8PEOPLE/PLANTS/ANIMALS [intransitive always + adv./prep.] to begin to live or grow in other areas or countries: spread throughout/over/to etc. The hemp plant spread to India sometime before 800 B.C.9spread (out/apart) your legs/arms/fingers etc. to move your legs, arms, etc. as far apart as possible: She spread her arms wide.10spread yourself thin to try to do too many things at the same time so that you do not do any of them effectively11OVER TIME [transitive] to do something or make something happen gradually over a period of time, rather than all at once SYN spread out: spread something over something The musical performances will be spread over three days.12SHARE [transitive] to share work, responsibility, money, etc. among several people or things: Spreading the work will help us meet the project deadline. We can spread the risk by investing in several areas. The city plans to spread the burden of new taxes as evenly as possible.13EXPRESSION [intransitive always + adv./prep.] to gradually become noticeable on someone’s face or mouth: spread across/over A big smile spread across her face.14spread 'em spoken used by police to tell someone to stand with arms and legs wide apart so his or her body can be searched15spread seeds/manure/fertilizer to scatter seeds, manure, etc. on the ground16spread its wings if a bird or insect spreads its wings, it opens them wide17spread your wings to start to have an independent life and experience new things: Living on my own gave me a chance to spread my wings.[Origin: Old English sprædan]spread out phrasal verb1 if a group of people spread out, they move apart from each other so that they cover a wider area: We spread out and began to search the field.2 spread something ↔ out to open something so that it covers a bigger area, or arrange a group of things so that they cover a flat surface: He spread the map out on the desk.3 spread something ↔ out to do something or make something happen gradually over a period of time, rather than all at once: You can spread out the payments over a year.4 (also be spread out) to cover, stretch, or exist over a large area: The old town spreads out below the cliff. verb | noun
spreadspread2 ●●○ noun 1INCREASE the spread of something the increase in the area or number of people affected by something, or in the number of people who do something; the development of something so that it affects or is known about by more people or involves a larger area: the spread of disease2SOFT FOOD [countable, uncountable] a soft food that you spread on bread: cheese/chocolate etc. spread (=cheese, chocolate, etc. in a soft form)3ARTICLE/ADVERTISEMENT [countable] a special article or advertisement in a newspaper or magazine: a two-page spread in Sunday’s paper4LARGE MEAL [countable] informal a large meal for several guests on a special occasion: They had quite a spread at the wedding reception.5BED COVER [countable] a bedspread6HAND/WINGS [uncountable] the area covered when the fingers of a hand, or a bird’s wings, are fully stretched7SPORT/GAME [singular] the number of points between the scores of two opposing teams: a four-point spread8MONEY [singular] social studies, economics the difference between the prices at which something is bought and sold, or the interest rates for lending and borrowing money9FARM [countable] a large area of land owned by one person, especially a farm or ranch10RANGE [countable usually singular] a range of people, things, or numbers: a broad spread of investments11AREA [singular] the total area in which a group of things exists: the spread of the bullet holes12a spread of land/water an area of land or water → see also middle-aged spread at middle-aged (2)