SPREAD

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spread mean? 

• SPREAD (noun)
  The noun SPREAD has 10 senses:

1. process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
2. a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures
3. farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
4. a haphazard distribution in all directions
5. a tasty mixture to be spread on bread or crackers
6. a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed
7. two facing pages of a book or other publication
8. the expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age)
9. decorative cover for a bed
10. act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time

  Familiarity information: SPREAD used as a noun is familiar.

• SPREAD (adjective)
  The adjective SPREAD has 3 senses:

1. distributed or spread over a considerable extent
2. prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set out
3. fully extended in width

  Familiarity information: SPREAD used as an adjective is uncommon.

• SPREAD (verb)
  The verb SPREAD has 10 senses:

1. distribute or disperse widely
2. become distributed or widespread
3. spread across or over
4. spread out or open from a closed or folded state
5. cause to become widely known
6. become widely known and passed on
7. strew or distribute over an area
8. move outward
9. cover by spreading something over
10. distribute over a surface in a layer

  Familiarity information: SPREAD used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPREAD (noun)

Sense 1

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

spread; spreading

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

change of location; travel (a movement through space that changes the location of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

radiation (the spread of a group of organisms into new habitats)

irradiation ((physiology) the spread of sensory neural impulses in the cortex)

invasion ((pathology) the spread of pathogenic microorganisms or malignant cells to new sites in the body)

dispersion; scattering (spreading widely or driving off)

diffusion (the spread of social institutions (and myths and skills) from one society to another)

Sense 2

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

gap; spread

Context examples:

gap between income and outgo / the spread between lending and borrowing costs

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

disparity (inequality or difference in some respect)

Sense 3

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

ranch; cattle ranch; cattle farm; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

farm (workplace consisting of farm buildings and cultivated land as a unit)

Sense 4

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A haphazard distribution in all directions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

scatter; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

dispersion; distribution (the spatial property of being scattered about over an area or volume)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

diffuseness (the spatial property of being spread out over a wide area or through a large volume)

Sense 5

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A tasty mixture to be spread on bread or crackers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

paste; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

condiment (a preparation (a sauce or relish or spice) to enhance flavor or enjoyment)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

anchovy butter (butter blended with mashed anchovies)

fishpaste (a paste of fish or shellfish)

garlic butter (butter seasoned with mashed garlic)

hommos; hoummos; hummus; humous; humus (a thick spread made from mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic; used especially as a dip for pita; originated in the Middle East)

pate (liver or meat or fowl finely minced or ground and variously seasoned)

tapenade (a spread consisting of capers and black olives and anchovies made into a puree with olive oil)

tahini (a thick Middle Eastern paste made from ground sesame seeds)

cheese spread (spread made of cheese mixed with butter or cream or cream cheese and seasonings)

lobster butter (butter blended with chopped lobster or seasoned with essence from lobster shells)

shrimp butter (butter blended with chopped shrimp or seasoned with essence from shrimp shells)

pimento butter (butter blended with mashed pimento)

onion butter (butter blended with minced onion)

marshmallow fluff (a very sweet white spread resembling marshmallow candy)

peanut butter (a spread made from ground peanuts)

nut butter (ground nuts blended with a little butter)

margarin; margarine; marge; oleo; oleomargarine (a spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter)

Sense 6

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

banquet; feast; spread

Context examples:

a banquet for the graduating seniors / the Thanksgiving feast / they put out quite a spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

meal; repast (the food served and eaten at one time)

Sense 7

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Two facing pages of a book or other publication

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

facing pages; spreadhead; spread head; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

page (one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

center spread; centre spread (the spread at the center of a magazine)

centerfold; centrefold (a magazine center spread; especially a foldout of a large photograph or map or other feature)

Holonyms ("spread" is a part of...):

publication (a copy of a printed work offered for distribution)

Sense 8

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

she exercised to avoid that middle-aged spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

girth (the distance around a person's body)

Sense 9

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Decorative cover for a bed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bed cover; bed covering; bedcover; bedspread; counterpane; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

bed clothing; bedclothes; bedding (coverings that are used on a bed)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

coverlet (a decorative bedspread (usually quilted))

quilted bedspread (a bedspread constructed like a thin quilt)

Sense 10

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

spreading; spread

Hypernyms ("spread" is a kind of...):

extension (act of expanding in scope; making more widely available)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "spread"):

circulation (the spread or transmission of something (as news or money) to a wider group or area)

diffusion; dispersal; dispersion; dissemination (the act of dispersing or diffusing something)

scatter; scattering; strewing (the act of scattering)

decentralisation; decentralization (the spread of power away from the center to local branches or governments)

• SPREAD (adjective)

Sense 1

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Distributed or spread over a considerable extent

Synonyms:

dispersed; spread

Context examples:

has ties with many widely dispersed friends / eleven million Jews are spread throughout Europe

Similar:

distributed (spread out or scattered about or divided up)

Sense 2

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set out

Context example:

a table spread with food

Similar:

prepared (made ready or fit or suitable beforehand)

Sense 3

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Fully extended in width

Synonyms:

outspread; spread

Context examples:

outspread wings / with arms spread wide

Similar:

extended (fully extended or stretched forth)

• SPREAD (verb)

Sense 1

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Distribute or disperse widely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

spread; distribute

Context example:

The invaders spread their language all over the country

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

diffuse; fan out; spread; spread out (move outward)

sprawl; straggle (go, come, or spread in a rambling or irregular way)

redistribute (distribute anew)

deploy (to distribute systematically or strategically)

propagate (transmit or cause to broaden or spread)

export (cause to spread in another part of the world)

straw; strew (spread by scattering ()

discharge (pour forth or release)

metastasise; metastasize (spread throughout the body)

generalise; generalize (become systemic and spread throughout the body)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

gather (assemble or get together)

Also:

spread out (set out or stretch in a line, succession, or series)

spread out (move away from each other)

spread out (move outward)

spread out (extend in one or more directions)

Sense 2

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become distributed or widespread

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

spread; propagate

Context examples:

the infection spread / Optimism spread among the population

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

catch (spread or be communicated)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Spread across or over

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

overspread; spread

Context example:

A big oil spot spread across the water

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

continue; cover; extend (span an interval of distance, space or time)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

transgress (spread over land, especially along a subsiding shoreline)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 4

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Spread out or open from a closed or folded state

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

spread; unfold; open; spread out

Context examples:

open the map / spread your arms

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

undo (cancel, annul, or reverse an action or its effect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

splay (spread open or apart)

uncross (change from a crossed to an uncrossed position)

butterfly (cut and spread open, as in preparation for cooking)

grass (spread out clothes on the grass to let it dry and bleach)

exfoliate (spread by opening the leaves of)

divaricate (spread apart)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 5

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Cause to become widely known

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

disseminate; circulate; pass around; circularise; diffuse; broadcast; circularize; spread; disperse; distribute; propagate

Context examples:

spread information / circulate a rumor / broadcast the news

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

air; bare; publicise; publicize (make public)

Cause:

circulate; go around; spread (become widely known and passed on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

carry; run (include as the content; broadcast or publicize)

generalise; generalize; popularise; popularize; vulgarise; vulgarize (cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use)

sough; sow (introduce into an environment)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become widely known and passed on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

circulate; go around; spread

Context examples:

the rumor spread / the story went around in the office

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 7

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Strew or distribute over an area

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

spread out; scatter; spread

Context examples:

He spread fertilizer over the lawn / scatter cards across the table

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

circulate; distribute; pass around; pass on (cause to be distributed)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

manure; muck (spread manure, as for fertilization)

birdlime; lime (spread birdlime on branches to catch birds)

circumfuse (spread something around something)

distribute (spread throughout a given area)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 8

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Move outward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

diffuse; fan out; spread out; spread

Context example:

The soldiers fanned out

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

distribute; spread (distribute or disperse widely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

mantle (spread over a surface, like a mantle)

bleed; run (be diffused)

creep; grow over (grow in such a way as to cover (a building))

percolate (spread gradually)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 9

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Cover by spreading something over

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

spread the bread with cheese

Hypernyms (to "spread" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "spread"):

slather (spread thickly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They spread the bread with melted butter

Sense 10

spread [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Distribute over a surface in a layer

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

spread cheese on a piece of bread

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP