Verb
He sat with his legs splayed apart.
She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
His fingers splayed out over the table as he steadied himself.
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Verb
Your recurring daydream of spending unending hours splayed out on the beach should take place right here, on the beaches of Isla Verde, located on the edge of San Juan.—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2025 On stage, with her back turned, stands Helen Shivers in her full beauty queen attire, staring down at Danica's fiancé's dead body splayed on ice.—Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 18 July 2025
Noun
The soft, flexible upper hugs my foot from heel to ball like a second skin, while the toe box is roomy and airy, with plenty of space for splay, even wearing CorrectToes.—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 23 June 2025 The design delivers unsurpassed toe splay, enforced by the separate toe pockets, and a close-to-the-ground, near-barefoot ride.—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for splay
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English splaien "to unfurl, spread out, spread-eagle, split (a fish) lengthwise and lay open," aphetic form of displaien "to unfurl (a banner), spread (the arms), display entry 1"
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