Spread - Definition

adj 1: distributed or spread over a considerable extent; "has
ties with many widely dispersed friends"; "eleven million
Jews are spread throughout Europe" [syn: dispersed,
spread]
2: prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set
out; "a table spread with food"
3: fully extended in width; "outspread wings"; "with arms spread
wide" [syn: outspread, spread]
n 1: process or result of distributing or extending over a wide
expanse of space [syn: spread, spreading]
2: a conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures;
"gap between income and outgo"; "the spread between lending
and borrowing costs" [syn: gap, spread]
3: farm consisting of a large tract of land along with
facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
[syn: ranch, spread, cattle ranch, cattle farm]
4: a haphazard distribution in all directions [syn: scatter,
spread]
5: a tasty mixture to be spread on bread or crackers or used in
preparing other dishes [syn: spread, paste]
6: a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed; "a banquet
for the graduating seniors"; "the Thanksgiving feast"; "they
put out quite a spread" [syn: banquet, feast, spread]
7: two facing pages of a book or other publication [syn:
spread, spread head, spreadhead, facing pages]
8: the expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age);
"she exercised to avoid that middle-aged spread"
9: decorative cover for a bed [syn: bedspread, bedcover,
bed cover, bed covering, counterpane, spread]
10: act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or
time [syn: spread, spreading]
v 1: distribute or disperse widely; "The invaders spread their
language all over the country" [syn: spread,
distribute] [ant: collect, garner, gather, pull
together]
2: become distributed or widespread; "the infection spread";
"Optimism spread among the population" [syn: spread,
propagate]
3: spread across or over; "A big oil spot spread across the
water" [syn: spread, overspread]
4: spread out or open from a closed or folded state; "open the
map"; "spread your arms" [syn: unfold, spread, spread
out, open] [ant: fold, fold up, turn up]
5: cause to become widely known; "spread information";
"circulate a rumor"; "broadcast the news" [syn: circulate,
circularize, circularise, distribute, disseminate,
propagate, broadcast, spread, diffuse, disperse,
pass around]
6: become widely known and passed on; "the rumor spread"; "the
story went around in the office" [syn: go around, spread,
circulate]
7: strew or distribute over an area; "He spread fertilizer over
the lawn"; "scatter cards across the table" [syn: spread,
scatter, spread out]
8: move outward; "The soldiers fanned out" [syn: diffuse,
spread, spread out, fan out]
9: cover by spreading something over; "spread the bread with
cheese"
10: distribute over a surface in a layer; "spread cheese on a
piece of bread"