v. 1 Often, spread out. diffuse, distribute, disperse, disseminate, broadcast, sow, scatter, strew, shed, dispel, dissipate Spread the mulch as evenly as possible to a depth of several inches 2 Often, spread about or around. broadcast, publicize, make known, bruit about, air, televise, circulate, publish, distribute, disseminate, trumpet, announce, pronounce, promulgate, advertise, enounce, make public, tell the world, herald, repeat, recite Start spreading the news I'm leaving today 3 Often, spread out. unfold, draw out, display, stretch out, open out, extend, lay out, fan out, unroll, unfurl Please spread the cloth on the table 4 Often, spread out. stretch (out), extend, protract, prolong, drag out, distribute, disperse The bank said I could spread the payments over twenty years 5 Often, spread out. stretch, extend, separate, put apart or out, part He spread his arms and Lorna rushed into them 6 grow, develop, increase, broaden, expand, extend, widen, enlarge, mushroom, proliferate, sprawl, branch out; metastasize To meet the demand for the pies, bakeries began to spread throughout the country The cancer, unchecked, was bound to spread. 7 smear, apply, smooth, put, rub, cover, layer, plaster, plate, coat, wash, glaze, paint, varnish, overlay, overspread; cloak, mantle, swaddle, wrap, blanket I was careful to spread the paint evenly, avoiding streaks When the cake has cooled, spread the chocolate icing over it.
n. 8 spreading, extension, extending, expansion, expanding, enlargement, enlarging, development, developing, increase, increasing, proliferation, proliferating, broadening, growth, widening, mushrooming, dispersion, dispersal, dispersing, dissemination, disseminating, distribution, distributing, dispensation, dispensing The spread of the disease is uncontrolled One of the functions of a university is to encourage the spread of knowledge. 9 extent, expanse, area, span, sweep, vastness, stretch, reach, breadth, depth, size, dimensions, compass, limits, bounds, boundary or boundaries As our craft accelerated past the moon, we were awed by the spread of empty space that lay before us 10 range, extent, scope, span, difference There was too much of a spread between the cost and the selling price 11 feast, banquet, meal, dinner, repast, barbecue; table; Colloq feed I have never seen a spread like the one laid on for the returning champions 12 butter, margarine, jam, jelly, preserve, conserve, confiture, paste, US old-fashioned oleo What kind of spread do you like on your toast? 13 ranch, landholding, holding, property, place, plantation, farm, homestead, place His spread in Texas eventually amounted to 10,000 acres 14 bedspread, counterpane, coverlet, bed-cover, cover, quilt, eiderdown, duvet, afghan, US comforter, US and Canadian throw Leave the spread off the bed, Carlotta, as I want to take a nap