sprawl

Universal Words verb, noun verb [V+adv./prep.] 1 to sit or lie with your arms and legs spread out in a relaxed or awkward way: He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. * Something hit her and sent her sprawling to the ground. * I tripped and went sprawling. 2 to spread in an untidy way; to cover a large area: The town sprawled along the side of the lake. noun 1 [C,usually sing,U] a large area covered with buildings that spreads from the city into the countryside in an ugly way: attempts to control the fast-growing urban sprawl 2 [C,usually sing.] an act of spreading to cover a large area in an untidy way; sth that spreads like this