spread
spread [spread spreads spreading] verb, noun BrE [spred] NAmE [spred]
verb (spread, spread)
OPEN/ARRANGE
1. transitive ~ 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. transitive ~ 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. transitive ~ 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. intransitive, transitive to affect or make sth affect, be known by, or used by more and more people
•(+ adv./prep.) The disease spreads easily.
• Within weeks, his confidence had spread throughout the team.
•Use of computers spread rapidly during that period.
•~ sth to spread rumours/lies about sb
•The disease is spread by mosquitoes.
COVER LARGE AREA
5. intransitive, transitive to cover, or to make sth cover, a larger and larger area
•(+ adv./prep.) The fire rapidly spread to adjoining buildings.
• Water began to spread across the floor.
•A smile spread slowly across her face.
•~ sth Using too much water could spread the stain.
6. transitive ~ sb/sth to cause sb/sth to be in a number of different places
• Seeds and pollen are spread by the wind.
• We have 10 000 members spread all over the country.
7. intransitive ~ (out) + adv./prep. to cover a large area
•The valley spread out beneath us.
SOFT LAYER
8. transitive, intransitive to put a layer of a substance onto the surface of sth; to be able to be put onto a surface
•~ (A on/over B) to spread butter on pieces of toast
•~ (B with A) pieces of toast spread with butter
• If the paint is too thick, it will not spread evenly.
DIVIDE/SHARE
9. transitive to separate sth into parts and divide them between different times or different people
•~ sth Why not pay monthly and spread the cost of your car insurance?
•~ sth (out) (over sth) A series of five interviews will be spread over two days.
•~ sth between sb/sth We attempted to spread the workload between the departments.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Old English -sprǣdan (used in combinations), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch spreiden and German spreiten.
Thesaurus:
spread verb
1. T
•He spread the map out on the floor.
lay sth out • • lay • • unfold • • open • • unroll •
spread/lay out/lay/open sth on sth
spread/lay/open sth out
spread out/lay out/unfold/open a map
2. T
•Papers were spread out on the desk.
scatter • • strew •
spread/scatter/strew sth on/onto/over/across sth
spread/scatter seeds
3. I, T
•The disease spreads easily.
pass sth on • • hand sth down • • infect • |especially spoken give • |formal transmit •
spread sth/pass sth on/hand sth down/give sth/transmit sth to sb
spread/pass on/infect sb with/give sb/transmit a/an disease/infection/virus
spread/pass on/transmit information/a message
spread/pass on/hand down knowledge
4. T, I (usually used with an adverb or preposition)
•She spread butter on a piece of toast.
cover • • coat • • smear • • rub • • daub •
spread/cover/coat/smear/rub/daub sth with sth
spread/smear/rub/daub sth on sth
be spread/covered/coated with chocolate
Example Bank:
•Allow plenty of space for this plant as its roots spread widely.
•Don't make the paste too thick, or it will not spread evenly.
•Expertise in this field is very thinly spread across the country.
•Friends may be spread geographically. Neighbours, by definition, are nearby.
•He had a newspaper spread open on his knee.
•He spread jam on the toast.
•His fame had spread far and wide.
•Spread each slice generously with butter.
•The course takes forty hours, spread over twenty weeks.
•The disease can be spread by contact.
•The effects of this policy spread far beyond children now at school.
•The news spread like wildfire.
•We spread the rug out on the floor.
•We tried to spread the workload evenly between the departments.
•With four markets to manage, there's a danger that's she's spreading herself too thin.
•a bird with its wings spread wide
•He shuffled the cards and spread them in a fan.
•If the paint is too thick, it will not spread easily.
•She spread butter on a piece of toast.
•Spread the cake with cream and then sprinkle flakes of chocolate on top.
•The bird spread its wings and flew away.
•They spread a cloth on a table.
•I wish he would stop spreading lies about me.
•Within weeks his confidence had spread throughout the team.
Idioms: ↑spread like wildfire ▪ ↑spread the word ▪ ↑spread your net ▪ ↑spread your wings ▪ ↑spread yourself too thin
Derived: ↑spread out ▪ ↑spread yourself out
noun
INCREASE
1. uncountable an increase in the amount or number of sth that there is, or in the area that is affected by sth
•to prevent the spread of disease
•to encourage the spread of information
• Shut doors to delay the spread of fire.
•the spread of a city into the surrounding areas
see also ↑middle-age spread
RANGE/VARIETY
2. countable, usually singular a range or variety of people or things
•a broad spread of opinions
• There was a good spread of scores on the test.
ON BREAD
3. countable, uncountable a soft food that you put on bread
• Use a low-fat spread instead of butter.
•cheese spread
AREA COVERED
4. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) the area that sth exists in or happens in
•The company has a good geographical spread of hotels in this country.
5. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) how wide sth is or the area that sth covers
•The bird's wings have a spread of nearly a metre.
IN NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE
6. countable an article or advertisement in a newspaper or magazine, especially one that covers two opposite pages
•The story continued with a double-page spread on the inside pages.
see also ↑centre spread
MEAL
7. countable (informal)a large meal, especially one that is prepared for a special occasion
•They had laid on a huge spread for the party.
OF LAND/WATER
8. countable, usually singular ~ (of sth) (NAmE)an area of land or water
•a vast spread of water
•They have a huge spread in California (= a large farm or ↑ranch ).
FINANCE
9. uncountable the difference between two rates or prices
ON BED
10. countable (NAmE) = ↑bedspread
Word Origin:
Old English -sprǣdan (used in combinations), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch spreiden and German spreiten.
Example Bank:
•Her work featured in a two-page spread in ‘New Woman’ magazine.
•Such unhygienic conditions encourage the spread of disease.
•The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.
•the spread of fire
•The questionnaire revealed a wide spread of opinions on the issues.
•They offered me some crackers with cheese spread.
•Try to have a broad spread of investments, rather than concentrating on one industry.
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