2 VERB If you spread your arms, hands, fingers, or legs, you stretch them out until they are far apart. □ [V n adv] Sitting on the floor, spread your legs as far as they will go without overstretching. □ [V n adj] He stepped back and spread his hands wide. 'You are most welcome to our home.' [Also V n] ● PHRASAL VERB Spread out means the same as spread . □ [V P n] David spread out his hands as if showing that he had no explanation. □ [V n P ] You need a bed that's large enough to let you spread yourself out.
3 VERB If you spread a substance on a surface or spread the surface with the substance, you put a thin layer of the substance over the surface. □ [V n prep] Spread the mixture in the cake tin and bake for 30 minutes. □ [V n + with ] Spread the bread with the cheese.
4 N‑VAR Spread is a soft food which is put on bread. □ …a wholemeal salad roll with low fat spread.
5 VERB If something spreads or is spread by people, it gradually reaches or affects a larger and larger area or more and more people. □ [V prep/adv] The industrial revolution which started a couple of hundred years ago in Europe is now spreading across the world. □ [V ] …the sense of fear spreading in residential neighborhoods. □ [be V -ed] He was fed-up with the lies being spread about him. ● N‑SING Spread is also a noun. □ The greatest hope for reform is the gradual spread of information.
6 VERB If something such as a liquid, gas, or smoke spreads or is spread , it moves outwards in all directions so that it covers a larger area. □ [V ] Fire spread rapidly after a chemical truck exploded. □ [V prep] A dark red stain was spreading across his shirt. □ [V n prep] In Northern California, a wildfire has spread a haze of smoke over 200 miles. ● N‑SING Spread is also a noun. □ The situation was complicated by the spread of a serious forest fire.
7 VERB If you spread something over a period of time, it takes place regularly or continuously over that period, rather than happening at one time. □ [V n + over ] You can eat all your calorie allowance in one go, or spread it over the day.
8 VERB If you spread something such as wealth or work, you distribute it evenly or equally. □ [V n] …policies that spread the state's wealth more evenly. ● N‑SING Spread is also a noun. □ [+ of ] There are easier ways to encourage the even spread of wealth.
9 N‑SING A spread of ideas, interests, or other things is a wide variety of them. □ [+ of ] …primary schools with a typical spread of ability.
10 N‑COUNT A spread is a large meal, especially one that has been prepared for a special occasion.
11 N‑COUNT A spread is two pages of a book, magazine, or newspaper that are opposite each other when you open it at a particular place. □ There was a double-page spread of a dinner for 46 people.
12 N‑SING Spread is used to refer to the difference between the price that a seller wants someone to pay for a particular stock or share and the price that the buyer is willing to pay. [BUSINESS ] □ Market makers earn their livings from the spread between buying and selling prices.
13 to spread your wings → see wing
▸ spread out
1 PHRASAL VERB If people, animals, or vehicles spread out , they move apart from each other. □ [V P ] Felix watched his men move like soldiers, spreading out into two teams.
2 PHRASAL VERB If something such as a city or forest spreads out , it gets larger and gradually begins to covers a larger area. □ [V P ] Cities such as Tokyo are spreading out.
3 → see spread 1 , spread 2 SYNONYMS spread VERB
1
open out: …oval tables which open out to become circular.
extend: … a table which extends to accommodate extra guests.
stretch: Ease the pastry into the corners of the tin, making sure you don't stretch it.
unfold: The bird's wings unfold to an impressive six-foot span.
3
coat: Coat the fish with seasoned flour.
smear: Smear a little olive oil over the inside of the salad bowl.
smooth: She smoothed the lotion across his shoulder blades.
plaster: She plastered herself from head to toe in high-factor sun lotion.
sprea d bet|ting N‑UNCOUNT Spread betting is a form of gambling that involves predicting a range of possible scores or results rather than one particular score or result.
spread|eagled /spre diːg ə ld/ also spread-eagled ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone who is spreadeagled is lying with their arms and legs spread out. □ They lay spreadeagled on the floor.
sprea d ou t ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If people or things are spread out , they are a long way apart. □ The Kurds are spread out across five nations.
spread|sheet /spre dʃiːt/ (spreadsheets ) N‑COUNT A spreadsheet is a computer program that is used for displaying and dealing with numbers. Spreadsheets are used mainly for financial planning. [COMPUTING ]
spree /spriː / (sprees ) N‑COUNT [usu n N ] If you spend a period of time doing something in an excessive way, you can say that you are going on a particular kind of spree . □ Some Americans went on a spending spree in December to beat the new tax.