verb

spread

sprehd

verb

To open something out so it covers a wider area.

"She spread the map across the table."

"He spread his arms wide to hug her."

To become more widely known, present, or transmitted.

"The rumour spread through the office within hours."

"The infection spread quickly in the crowded ward."

To coat something with a thin layer of a substance.

"He spread butter thickly on his toast."

noun

A soft food meant to be smeared on bread, such as jam or butter.

"She keeps a jar of chocolate spread in the cupboard."

A large, generously laid-out meal.

"The buffet was an impressive spread of local dishes."

(finance) The gap between two prices, such as a buying and selling price.

"The bank widened its bid-ask spread during volatile trading."

How to Use Spread

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stretch, scatter, or become more widely present — used for objects, information, disease, or (in finance) a price gap.

Common mistake

In finance, "spread" refers to a price difference, not a physical thing — don’t confuse it with the food sense.

Common pairings

spread the word spread butter bid-ask spread a lavish spread

spread past tense, spread past tense, spreads plural, spreads plural, spreads singular, spreads singular

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She _____ the map across the table.

From Old English sprædan ("to spread, expand"), from a Proto-Germanic root meaning to strew or scatter.

disseminate circulate propagate diffuse put about straddle

augment destroy propagate dense compact flank diffuse circulate

head read lead dead bead mead bread plead tread ahead dread knead

disseminate circulate propagate diffuse put about straddle augment destroy dense compact flank