spread

Universal Words verb, noun verb (spread, spread) open / arrange 1 [VN] ~ sth (out) (on / over sth) to open sth that has been folded so that it covers a larger area than before: to spread a cloth on a table * Sue spread the map out on the floor. * The bird spread its wings. 2 [VN] ~ sth (out) (on / over sth) to arrange objects so that they cover a large area and can be seen easily: Papers had been spread out on the desk. arms / legs 3 [VN] ~ sth (out) to move your arms, legs, fingers, etc. far apart from each other: She spread her arms and the child ran towards her. among people 4 to affect or make sth affect, be known by, or used by more and more people: [V, usually +adv./prep.] The disease spreads easily. * Within weeks, his confidence had spread throughout the team. * Use of computers spread rapidly during that period. * [VN] to spread rumours / lies about sb * The disease is spread by mosquitoes. cover large area 5 [usually +adv./prep.] to cover, or to make sth cover, a larger and larger area: [V] The fire rapidly spread to adjoining buildings. * Water began to spread across the floor. * A smile spread slowly across her face. * [VN] Using too much water could spread the stain. 6 [VN] to cause sb/sth to be in a number of different places: Seeds and pollen are spread by the wind. * We have 10000 members spread all over the country. 7 [V+adv./prep.] ~ (out) to cover a large area: The valley spread out beneath us. soft layer 8 ~ (A on / over B)