SPREAD, SPRED, pret. and pp. spread or spred. G., to spread. The more correct orthography is spred.

1. To extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only to stretch or expand to a broader surface as, to spread a carpet or a table cloth to spread a sheet on the ground.
2. To extend to form into a plate as, to spread silver. Jeremiah 10 .
3. To set to place to pitch as, to spread a tent. Genesis 33 .
4. To cover by extending something to reach every part.

And an unusual paleness spreads her face.

5. To extend to shoot to a greater length in every direction, so as to fill or cover a wider space.

The stately trees fast spread their branches.

6. To divulge to propagate to publish as news or fame to cause to be more extensively know as, to spread a report.

In this use the word is sometimes accompanied with abroad.

They, when they had departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Matthew 9 .

7. To propagate to cause to affect greater numbers as, to spread a disease.
8. To emit to diffuse as emanations or effluvia as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance.
9. To disperse to scatter over a larger surface as, to spread manure to spread plaster or lime on the ground.
10. To prepare to set and furnish with provision as, to spread a table. God spread a table for the Israelites in the wilderness.
11. To open to unfold to unfurl to stretch as, to spread the sails of a ship.

SPREAD, SPRED,

1. To extend itself in length and breadth, in all directions, or in breadth only to be extended or stretched. The larger elms spread over a space of forty or fifty yards in diameter or the shade of the larger elms spreads over that space. The larger lakes in America spread over more than fifteen hundred square miles.

Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall.

2. To be extended by drawing or beating as, a metal spreads with difficulty.
3. To be propagated or made known more extensively. Ill reports sometimes spread with wonderful rapidity.
4. To be propagated from one to another as, a disease spreads into all parts of a city. The yellow fever of American cities has not been found to spread in the country.

SPREAD, SPRED, n.

1. Extent compass.

I have a fine spread of improvable land.

2. Expansion of parts.

No flower has that spread of the woodbind.