See Also: spread(1)(dictionary)
spread(2)(dictionary)
Spread(medicine)
Ted spread(finance)
Spread(finance)
Gut spread(finance)
Box spread(money)
NOB spread(money)
Mob spread(money)
Mob spread(finance)

spread (iou)



spread verb. Pa. t. & pple spread, (arch. & poet.) spreaded. ME.

I. verb trans.
Stretch or open out so as to extend the surface or width of; draw out to full extension, unfold; lay out or arrange so as to cover or occupy (more) space. Freq. foll. by out. ME.
spread one's wings: see WING noun.
C. Mungoshi You see rice spread out to dry. J. Rossner She..spread out her pad, ballpoint pen, and a box of tissues. B. W. Aldiss He spread a tartan rug gently over her. R. Rayner A cop got out of the car...'OK...Spread those legs, lean over the hood.'
b. Display widely or fully to the eye or mind. E17.
A. C. Clarke Looking at the..islands spread out below.
c. Flatten out, make flat. E18.
d. refl. Exert oneself; make a display, show off. US colloq. M19.
e. Music. Play (notes, a chord) in arpeggio. L19.
Send out in various directions so as to extend over or cover a large or larger space. ME.
S. Wynter A giant breadfruit tree spread out its broad leaves.
a. Distribute or disperse (a material thing or things) over a certain area, scatter. ME.
W. S. Burroughs The atom bomb explodes over Hiroshima spreading radioactive particles.
b. Apply (a substance) to a surface in a thin layer. M16.
spread it on thick: see THICK adverb. spread oneself too thin dissipate one's time and energy through the diversity of one's activities.
B. Moore The Abbot spread blackberry jam on his bread.
c. Place or distribute in a measured way over a certain space, time, etc. L16.
Times This final stage of the repayment should be spread over the 12 months.
d. Lay out (a meal) on a table etc. L18.
Holme Lee Tea was spread on the round table.
e. Set down or enter on a documentary record. US. M19.
a. In pass. Of people, animals, etc.: be scattered, dispersed, or distributed over or throughout some area. ME.
Aquaculture Rabbitfish are widely spread throughout the Indian and..Pacific oceans.
b. Cause to increase or multiply; beget. ME-E17.
Make (more) widely prevalent, known, felt, etc.; disseminate or diffuse. ME.
Ld Macaulay His arrival spread dismay through the whole English population. H. S. Strean This principal..is also spreading malicious rumours about me. Life The five-year drought that spread famine from Ethiopia to Mali.
a. Overlay, deck, or strew with. ME.
W. H. Prescott King Ferdinand's galleys were spread with rich carpets.
b. Lay (a table) for a meal etc. LME.
M. Ayrton A long table has been..spread for the nine featured players.
c. Cover with a thin layer of a soft substance, esp. butter. L16.
A. Roudybush Spreading two slices of rye bread thickly with liverwurst.
a. Overrun, overspread, (an area). LME-E18.
b. Cover; extend over. poet. E18.
II. verb intrans.
Become extended or expanded; cover or occupy a wide or wider space or area; stretch out widely or fully. Freq. foll. by out. ME.
Defoe The water began to spread over the flat ground. Manchester Examiner A fire broke out and spread with great rapidity. C. Mungoshi Tendai had to get off the bed and spread out on the floor. Ina Taylor Cancer had spread through the whole of Mrs Evans' body.
b. Become larger, increase in size. M17.
c. Go apart, separate. M19.
d. Make a display, show off. US colloq. M19.
Extend over a large or larger area by increase or separation, disperse, (freq. foll. by out). Now also (of butter etc.), admit of being spread. ME.
J. H. Newman The Romans spread gradually from one central city.
Of an immaterial thing: become diffused or disseminated, become more prevalent. ME.
V. Woolf Somehow or other..the fashion spread. S. Wynter As his fame spread, disciples came to him. P. Carey The word spread that the walls were finished.
Be displayed widely, extend. ME.
P. Larkin The lawn spreads dazzlingly wide.
Extend by growth, grow outwards. ME.
Bridge. Reveal one's hand as a claim or concession of the remaining tricks. E20.
Comb.: spread-over noun & adjective (in accordance with or designating) a system of distributing work or holidays over a period of time, spec. an arrangement allowing a fixed number of working hours to be performed at varying times within a given period.
spreada'bility noun ability to be (easily) spread M20.
spreadable adjective (esp. of butter etc.) that can be (easily) spread M20.