I. ˈsprā noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English — more at sprig
1.
a. : a cluster or mass of small twiggy branches : small brushwood
birch spray
b. sprays plural , dialect England : twisted willow or hazel for thatching
2.
a. : a usually slim branch or shoot : sprig
a spray of apple blossoms
b. : a bunch or cluster of cut flowers arranged for decorative effect (as on a dress, dinner table, or coffin)
shoulder spray
c. : something (as a decorative design, ornament, or brooch) resembling a spray
a spray of brilliants
rhinestone-set shoulder spray — Fashion Digest
3. : a very light bluish green that is duller and slightly greener than average ice green
4.
a. : an auxiliary gate, runner, or side channel in a founder's mold
b. : a group of castings made together and connected by sprues and not yet separated and trimmed
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to spread out in the form of a spray : branch out
orchids … sprayed from the bowl — Kathryn Grondahl
branches of climbing vines sprayed up its sides — Frederick Faust
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: from obsolete English spray to sprinkle, from Middle Dutch sprayen, spraeyen; akin to Middle High German spræjen, spræwen to squirt, spray, Swedish dialect språ, språs to sprout, Greek speirein to scatter, sow, sprinkle — more at sprout
1. : water flying in small drops or particles as blown from waves or thrown up by a waterfall
spray cast up when the heavy rain pounded the flat porch rail — John Updike
2.
a.
(1) : a jet of fine medicated vapor used either as an application to a diseased part or to charge the air of a room with a disinfectant or deodorizer
(2) : an instrument for applying such a spray : atomizer — compare aerosol
b. : a jet of liquid (as water) dispersed by a sprayer
3.
a.
(1) : an application in suspension or solution of a pesticide
(2) : the material so applied
b. : fog 3a
c. : a device for applying a vaporized coating (as of paint)
IV. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to scatter or let fall (as a solution) in the form of spray
spray a 1 percent solution from an atomizer onto the incision
antibiotics and body powders that can be sprayed instead of dusted on — Time
2.
a. : to throw spray upon
the waves sprayed us with salt water
especially : to cover entirely or partially with a liquid, a foam, or sometimes a dust by means of a sprayer or aerosol bomb (as for destroying bacteria or plant pests)
b. : to throw a liquid upon in the form of a spray
stove exploded, spraying them with flaming kerosine — Pasadena (Calif.) Independent
c. : to apply something to by atomizing and allowing to strike the surface in a uniform manner
sprayed the furniture with paint
d. : to fire upon scatteringly : strew with bullets
opened fire spraying them with buckshot — Meridel LeSueur
intransitive verb
1. : to take the form of spray : scatter in fine particles
the device causes the water to spray
2. : to discharge a liquid as spray
V.
variant of spree