Part 685

Gen. xxxiii. 19.

Here the Rhone Hath spread himself a couch.

Byron.

2. To extend so as to cover something; to extend to a great or grater extent in every direction; to cause to fill or cover a wide or wider space.

Rose, as in a dance, the stately trees, and spread Their branches hung with copious fruit.

Milton.

3. To divulge; to publish, as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively known; to disseminate; to make known fully; as, to spread a report; -- often acompanied by abroad.

They, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

Matt. ix. 31.

4. To propagate; to cause to affect great numbers; as, to spread a disease.

5. To diffuse, as emanations or effluvia; to emit; as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance.

6. To strew; to scatter over a surface; as, to spread manure; to spread lime on the ground.

7. To prepare; to set and furnish with provisions; as, to spread a table.

Boiled the flesh, and spread the board.

Tennyson.

To spread cloth, to unfurl sail. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Syn. -- To diffuse; propogate; disperse; publish; distribute; scatter; circulate; disseminate; dispense.

Spread, v. i. 1. To extend in length and breadth in all directions, or in breadth only; to be extended or stretched; to expand.

Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall.

Bacon.

Governor Winthrop, and his associates at Charlestown, had for a church a large, spreading tree.

B. Trumbull.

2. To be extended by drawing or beating; as, some metals spread with difficulty.

3. To be made known more extensively, as news.

4. To be propagated from one to another; as, the disease spread into all parts of the city. Shak.

Spread, n. 1. Extent; compass.

I have got a fine spread of improvable land.

Addison.