(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
Spray is a lot of small drops of water which are being thrown into the air.
The moon was casting a rainbow through the ~ from the waterfall...
N-VAR: oft N from/of n
2.
A ~ is a liquid kept under pressure in a can or other container, which you can force out in very small drops.
...hair ~.
...a can of insect ~.
N-MASS
3.
If you ~ a liquid somewhere or if it ~s somewhere, drops of the liquid cover a place or shower someone.
A ~er hooked to a tractor can ~ five gallons onto ten acres...
Two inmates hurled slates at prison officers ~ing them with a hose...
Drops of blood ~ed across the room.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n with n, V prep
4.
If a lot of small things ~ somewhere or if something ~s them, they are scattered somewhere with a lot of force.
A shower of mustard seeds ~ed into the air and fell into the grass...
The intensity of the blaze shattered windows, ~ing glass on the streets below...
The bullet slammed into the ceiling, ~ing them with bits of plaster.
VERB: V prep, V n prep, V n with n
5.
If someone ~s bullets somewhere, they fire a lot of bullets at a group of people or things.
He ran to the top of the building ~ing bullets into shoppers below...
The army lorries were ~ed with machine gun fire from guerrillas in the woods.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n with n
6.
If something is ~ed, it is painted using paint kept under pressure in a container.
The bare metal was ~ed with several coats of primer.
VERB: usu passive, be V-ed with n, also V n colour
7.
When someone ~s against insects, they cover plants or crops with a chemical which prevents insects feeding on them.
He doesn’t ~ against pests or diseases...
Confine the use of insecticides to the evening and do not ~ plants that are in flower...
Because of the immunity of the immature insects, it’s important to ~ regularly.
VERB: V against n, V n, V, also V n prep
8.
A ~ is a piece of equipment for ~ing water or another liquid, especially over growing plants.
N-COUNT
9.
A ~ of flowers or leaves is a number of flowers or leaves on one stem or branch.
...a small ~ of freesias.
N-COUNT: N of n