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spread

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, odouriferous 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) To sprad cloth, to unfurl sail.

Synonym: To diffuse, propogate, disperse, publish, distribute, scatter, circulate, disseminate, dispense.

Origin: OE. Spreden, AS. Spraedan; akin to D. Spreiden, spreijen, LG. Spreden, spreen, spreien, G dbb . Spreiten, Dan. Sprede, Sw. Sprida. Cf. Spray water flying in drops.

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.

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.

4. A table, as spread or furnished with a meal; hence, an entertainment of food; a feast.

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.

6. (Science: geometry) An unlimited expanse of discontinuous points.