1. Disperse widely
   "The invaders spread their language all over the country";
   - distribute
    
2. Become distributed or widespread
   "the infection spread"; "Optimism spread among the population";
   - propagate
    
3. Strew or distribute over an area
   "He spread fertilizer over the lawn";
   - scatter, spread out
    
4. Distribute over a surface in a layer
   "spread cheese on a piece of bread"
    
5. Cover by spreading something over
   "spread the bread with cheese"
    
6. Move outwards to form a covering over
   "A big oil spot spread across the water";
   - overspread
    
7. Spread out or open from a closed or folded state
   "spread your arms"; "spread out your arms";
   - unfold, spread out, open
    
8. Move outward
   "The soldiers spread out";
   - diffuse, spread out, fan out
    
9. Cause to become widely known
   "spread information";
   - circulate, circularize, circularise [Brit], distribute, disseminate, propagate, broadcast, diffuse, disperse, pass around
    
10. Become widely known and passed on
    "the rumour spread";
    - go around, circulate, go round

1. Process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
   "The spread of the oil slick threatened marine life";
   - spreading
    
2. Act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time
   "The spread of the virus across continents was rapid";
   - spreading
    
3. A haphazard distribution in all directions
   "The wide spread of the disease alarmed health officials";
   - scatter
    
4. A tasty mixture to be spread on bread, crackers or used in preparing other dishes
   "He made a savoury olive tapenade spread for the crostini";
   - paste
    
5. A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures
   "the spread between lending and borrowing costs";
   - gap
    
6. Two facing pages of a book or other publication
   "The magazine's feature article spanned the spread head";
   - spread head, spreadhead, facing pages
    
7. Farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
   "The cowboys herded the cattle across the vast cattle spread";
   - ranch, cattle ranch, cattle farm
    
8. A meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed
   "they put out quite a spread";
   - banquet, feast
    
9. The expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age)
   "she exercised to avoid that middle-aged spread"
    
10. Decorative cover for a bed
    "She chose a floral spread to brighten up the room";
    - bedspread, bedcover, bed cover, bed covering, counterpane

1. Distributed over a wide area
   "eleven million Jews are spread throughout Europe";
   - dispersed
    
2. Fully extended in width
   "with arms spread wide";
   - outspread
    
3. Prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set out
   "a table spread with food"

Derived forms: spreading, spread, spreads

See also: distributed, extended, prepared, travel

Type of: air, bare, bed clothing, bedclothes, bedding, change of location, circulate, condiment, continue, cover, disparity, dispersion, displace, distribute, distribution, extend, extension, farm, girth, go, locomote, meal, move, page, pass around, pass on, publicise [Brit], publicize, repast, travel, undo

Part of: publication

Encyclopedia: Spread, West Virginia