spread

1 a decorative cloth used as a top covering for a bed bought a brightly colored spread for summer Synonyms bedcover (also bedcovering), bedspread, coverlet, hap [dialect], counterpaneRelated Words comforter, puff, quilt; bedclothes, bedding, clothes

2 a large fancy meal often accompanied by ceremony or entertainment they really know how to put out a good spread Synonyms banquet, dinner, feed, regale, feastRelated Words chow, mess, repast, table; blowout, carnival, festival, fete (or fête), gala, party, shindig; festivity; barbecue, clambake, cookout, fry, luau, roast; buffet, luncheon, smorgasbord

3 a wide space or area a vast spread of land just waiting to be settled Synonyms breadth, distance, expansion, extent, field, length, plain, reach, sheet, expanse, stretch, wasteRelated Words domain, sphere, territory; compass, range, scope, sweep; gamut, scale, spectrum; depth, emptiness, void; extension, latitude, span; amplitude, immensity, magnitude

4 the distance or extent between possible extremes the spread of grades was from 15 to 79 on that quiz Synonyms diapason, gamut, scale, spectrum, range, stretchRelated Words measure, pitch, scale; ambit, amplitude, compass, dimension(s), extent, reach, realm, scope, sweep, width

5 the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects a spread of nearly 100 miles between farms Synonyms lead, length, remove, spacing, distance, stretch, wayRelated Words altitude, area, breadth, depth, height, rise, space, volume, width; extension, extent; cast, range, reach, scope, shot, sweep, throw; drop, fall, flight, haul; berth, clearance

1 to cause to be known over a considerable area or by many people spread the news! Synonyms broadcast, circulate, disseminate, propagate Related Words radiate, sprawl; diffuse, dispense, disperse, dissipate, scatter, sow; communicate, convey, impart, pass (on), transmit Near Antonyms cloak, conceal, enshroud, hide, hold (in), mask, obscure, secrete, shroud, veil; contain, limit, restrict

2 to put a layer of on a surface we spread the fertilizer over the lawn evenly until it was fully covered Synonyms apply, lay, lay on Related Words anoint, bedaub, besmear, dab, daub, plaster, slather, smear; blanket, carpet, coat, cover, layer, mantle, overlay, overlie, overspread, sheet, surface Near Antonyms bare, expose, peel, strip, uncover

3 to become known once news of the war's end had spread, spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere Synonyms break, circulate, come out, get about, get around, get round, leak (out), out, get outRelated Words develop, transpire, unfold; disclose, reveal, spill, tellNear Antonyms hush (up), suppress; conceal, disguise, hide, mask; secrete

4 to cause (something) to pass from one to another living conditions that help to spread chicken pox Synonyms conduct, convey, give, impart, communicate, transfer, transfuse, transmitRelated Words deliver, hand over, surrender, turn over; broadcast, diffuse, disseminate, propagate; hand down, hand on; contaminate, infect, poisonNear Antonyms catch, come down (with), contract

5 to go or move in different directions from a central point the walls of the old barn spread under the weight of the snow on the roof Synonyms branch (out), diverge, divide, fork, part, separateRelated Words bestrew, break up, broadcast, clear out, disband, dispel, disperse, dissipate, distribute, scatter, sow; distance, recede, retreatNear Antonyms assemble, gather, meetAntonyms converge, join

6 to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number dissatisfaction with the new administration is spreading rapidly Synonyms accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, increase, swell, waxRelated Words jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge; heighten, intensify, redouble; blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up); crescendo, crest, peakAntonyms contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane