Spread
/spred/
Definitions
4 meaningsTo extend, distribute, or expand something over a surface or area.
/spred/
To open out or extend something over a wider area.
He carefully spread the map out on the table.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're putting jelly on your toast! You're making it go all over the bread. That's spreading!
👶 For kids: To make something go all over a place, like when you put peanut butter on bread.
More Examples
The wildfire quickly spread through the dry forest.
She is spreading the news about the new product launch.
How It's Used
"She spread the butter on the toast."
"Farmers spread fertilizer on their fields."
"The economic crisis spread across the globe."
To become known or distributed over a wide area or among many people.
/spred/
To become widely known or distributed.
The news of his promotion quickly spread throughout the office.
💡 Simply: Imagine a secret that everyone is finding out. That secret is spreading! Like when news travels fast.
👶 For kids: To tell other people something, so they all know about it, like a secret.
More Examples
The flu is spreading through the community.
The company is spreading awareness about its new initiative.
How It's Used
"Rumors spread quickly through the school."
"The disease is spreading rapidly."
"The company's reputation spread widely."
The act or process of spreading or extending something.
/spred/
The act of spreading or extending something.
We had a delicious spread of appetizers at the party.
💡 Simply: Think of putting yummy jam on your toast. The jam is the spread! It's what you put all over it.
👶 For kids: It's what you put on toast, like jam or butter.
More Examples
The newspaper featured a large spread of photographs.
The spread in interest rates is high.
How It's Used
"A spread of butter on toast."
"The financial spread between two assets."
"The newspaper's front-page spread."
A wide area or extent.
/spred/
A wide expanse.
The farm had a wide spread of land.
💡 Simply: A wide area, like when you look out over a field.
👶 For kids: It's like a big, open place.
More Examples
There was a spread of flowers in the field.
How It's Used
"A spread of land."
"The spread between the bid and ask prices."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
spread like wildfire
To quickly become known or shared by many people.
"The news of the celebrity's secret affair spread like wildfire."
spread yourself too thin
To try to do too many things at once, leading to a lack of focus and effectiveness.
"She was spreading herself too thin by taking on so many projects."
spread the word
To tell others about something.
"Please spread the word about the upcoming event."
From Middle English spreden, from Old English sprǣdan ('to stretch out, extend'), from Proto-Germanic *spraidaną ('to spread'). Cognate with Dutch spreiden, German spreiten.
Used extensively since Old English, with meanings related to extending, distributing, and expanding. The usage has evolved but the core concept remains.
Memory tip
Think of spreading butter - you are distributing it over the bread.
Word Origin
"to stretch out, extend"