spreading
spreading — verb
1. When a thing is spreading, the area it covers is becoming larger and larger; you
When a thing is spreading, the area it covers is becoming larger and larger; you can also use it to mean making that area grow.
The wildfire was spreading quickly through the dry forest north of Lisbon.
intransitive: spread + through + place
Naoko watched the ink stain spreading across the white tablecloth.
spread + across + surface (visible expansion)
Strong winds were spreading the smoke over three nearby villages.
By morning, the flood waters had spread far beyond the riverbanks.
The oil slick is spreading outward from the damaged tanker.
文法句型
spread + (across/through/over) + place
spread + something + (across/through/over) + place
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions of direction or place (across, through, over, into, outward). The intransitive form is more common when describing natural processes such as fire, smoke, or liquid.
常見錯誤
2. If a disease, idea, mood, or habit spreads, it starts reaching new people or pla
If a disease, idea, mood, or habit spreads, it starts reaching new people or places one after another, until many are affected; you can also spread it on purpose.
The flu spread through Tuan's school in just a few days.
spread + through + group of people
Panic spread among the passengers when the lights went out on the train.
spread + among + people (emotion subject)
Eshe used social media to spread news about the missing dog.
Coughing without covering your mouth can spread germs to everyone in the room.
The new dance trend has spread from Seoul to teenagers all over Asia.
文法句型
spread + (from/to/among) + people
spread + something + (to/among) + people
用法筆記
Subject is typically something that affects others — a disease, rumour, fear, fashion, belief, or habit. With the transitive form, the subject is the agent who causes the wider effect (a person, the media, a website).
常見錯誤
3. If something such as a city, a forest, or a view spreads, it takes up a large pi
If something such as a city, a forest, or a view spreads, it takes up a large piece of land or water — usually you can see it stretching far in front of you.
From the hilltop, Imran could see the city spreading out below him.
spread + out + (place phrase) — describing a wide view
Tea fields spread for miles along the green slopes of the valley.
spread + for + distance
The old port town spreads along both sides of the river.
A vast desert spread out before the travellers as they left the last village.
文法句型
spread + (out/across/over/along) + place
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (EXPAND OUTWARD): this sense is static — the area does not grow; the thing simply is large and stretches far. Subject is usually a landscape, settlement, or view.
常見錯誤
4. If a group of people or things is spread across several locations, the members a
If a group of people or things is spread across several locations, the members are found in separate places rather than gathered together; you can also distribute things this way on purpose.
The Okonkwo family is spread across four different countries.
passive: be spread + across + places
Our offices are spread throughout Southeast Asia, from Bangkok to Manila.
passive: be spread + throughout + region
Christopher decided to spread his savings between three different banks.
The library has spread its rare books across two protected storerooms.
- distribute
more formal; emphasises a planned arrangement
- scatter
suggests a less ordered, more random distribution
- concentrate
to bring or keep things in one place
- gather
to bring separate things together
文法句型
be spread + (across/throughout/over) + places
spread + things/people + (across/over) + places
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('be spread across/throughout'). Distinguish from sense 1: here the subject is a set of separate items already in different places — the items are not getting larger or moving outward together.
常見錯誤
5. If you spread something such as a map, a blanket, or a newspaper, you open it up
If you spread something such as a map, a blanket, or a newspaper, you open it up from a folded shape and lay it flat so that it now covers a bigger surface.
Asher spread the picnic blanket on the grass under the cherry tree.
spread + flat object + on + surface
The hikers spread the map out across the kitchen table to plan their route.
spread + something + out + across + surface
Élise spread her wet raincoat over the back of a chair to dry.
The eagle spread its huge wings before lifting off the cliff.
文法句型
spread + something + (out) + (on/across/over) + surface
用法筆記
Object must be something that can be folded, closed, or held tight — a cloth, paper, map, blanket, or wings. Often paired with the particle 'out' to stress the opening movement.
常見錯誤
6. If you spread a number of small items on a surface, you put them down across the
If you spread a number of small items on a surface, you put them down across the whole area — usually with space between each item or in a single thin layer, not stacked into a pile.
Caio spread the photographs across the desk so the editor could compare them.
spread + things + across + surface (single layer)
The teacher spread the children's drawings out on the classroom floor.
spread + things + out + on + surface
Sven spread the puzzle pieces over the coffee table and started sorting them by colour.
Maja spread the playing cards face-up on the rug to count the missing ones.
文法句型
spread + things + (out) + on/across/over + surface
用法筆記
Object is typically a plural set of small, flat-ish items (papers, cards, photos, tools, food). Distinguish from sense 5: there you open one folded thing; here you arrange many separate things across an area.
常見錯誤
7. to open out parts of the body — typically the hands, feet, or limbs — so each pa
to open out parts of the body — typically the hands, feet, or limbs — so each part is as distant from the others as possible.
Reema spread her fingers wide and pressed her palm against the wet paint.
spread + fingers (body part as object)
The yoga teacher told us to spread our toes and grip the mat firmly.
spread + toes
Mert lay on the sand and spread his arms like a starfish.
Spread your legs about shoulder-width apart before you start the squat.
The eagle spread its wings and glided slowly above the cliffs.
- stretch out
more general; can apply to whole body
- splay
stronger image of fingers or limbs forced wide apart
- close
for fingers or wings drawn back together
文法句型
spread + body part
用法筆記
Object is almost always a body part (arms, legs, fingers, toes) or wings. Distinguish from sense 5 (unfolding cloth or paper), where the object is an inanimate flat thing.
常見錯誤
8. to pass news, rumours, or information from one person to many people, or for tha
to pass news, rumours, or information from one person to many people, or for that information to travel quickly between people.
Word of the surprise engagement spread across the village in a single afternoon.
intransitive: news + spread + across [place]
Stefan begged us not to spread the rumour that he was leaving the team.
transitive: spread + rumour + that-clause
The charity uses short videos to spread its message about clean drinking water.
News of the train delay spread quickly through the crowded station.
Please don't spread this around the office until I tell my manager.
- suppress
to actively prevent information from spreading
文法句型
spread + news/rumour
news/rumour + spread
用法筆記
Frequently intransitive with abstract subjects like 'word', 'news', 'rumour', 'panic'. Distinguish from sense 2 (about diseases or feelings affecting people physically); this sense is about information travelling between speakers.
常見錯誤
9. to divide a task, cost, or amount into parts so that different people, places, o
to divide a task, cost, or amount into parts so that different people, places, or periods of time each take a share.
Lara wanted to spread the wedding costs across six monthly payments.
spread + costs + across [time periods]
The coach spread the training drills evenly between the new players.
spread + tasks + between [people]
Risk is usually spread among several investors so no one loses too much.
Try to spread your study hours over the whole week instead of cramming.
Jabari suggested we spread the gardening jobs across the four of us.
- distribute
more formal; common in financial or logistical writing
- divide
stresses the act of splitting; less about easing burden
- stagger
specifically for spreading events across time
- concentrate
to put all of something in one time or place
文法句型
spread sth between/among/across sb
spread sth over [time]
用法筆記
Always followed by 'between', 'among', 'across', or 'over' to mark how the parts are divided. Object is typically work, money, time, or risk. Often passive when the focus is on the result, not the agent.
常見錯誤
10. to push a soft food or paste over the top of something so it forms a thin layer;
to push a soft food or paste over the top of something so it forms a thin layer; or, said of such a substance, to be soft enough to apply in this manner.
Ari spread peanut butter thickly over a slice of warm toast.
spread + [food] + over + [surface]
This butter is too cold to spread without tearing the bread.
intransitive: [food] + spreads + adverb
Spread a thin layer of glue along the edge of the wood before joining the panels.
Ilan spread sunscreen on his daughter's shoulders before they walked to the beach.
The cream cheese spreads easily once you let it warm up on the counter.
- scrape off
to remove a layer that has been applied
文法句型
spread sth on/over sth
sth spreads + adverb (easily, thinly)
用法筆記
Object is a soft substance (butter, jam, glue, cream); the surface follows 'on', 'onto', 'over', or 'along'. The intransitive use describes how easy the substance is to apply — 'spreads easily / thinly / smoothly'. Distinguish from sense 6 (arranging separate objects across a surface).
常見錯誤
11. with a smile as subject: to grow gradually wider across the features of a person
with a smile as subject: to grow gradually wider across the features of a person, often as a quiet sign of pleasure or recognition.
A slow smile spread across Sayaka's face as she opened the letter from her brother.
a smile + spread + across + [person]'s face
When Kenji recognised his old teacher, a wide grin spread over his face.
a grin + spread + over + face
A small, surprised smile spread across Tara's lips when she heard the news.
A warm smile spread slowly across the old man's face at the sight of his granddaughter.
- fade
for a smile slowly leaving the face
文法句型
a smile spreads across/over sb's face
用法筆記
Almost always used in narrative or literary writing, with 'a smile / grin' as subject and 'across' or 'over' someone's face. The smile is the only common subject; do not say 'a frown spread' or 'sadness spread' for this sense.
常見錯誤
spreading — noun
1. the way that something gradually grows bigger, reaches more places, or starts to
the way that something gradually grows bigger, reaches more places, or starts to affect more people over time.
Doctors are worried about the rapid spreading of the virus across rural villages.
noun + 'of' + disease/problem
The spreading of the wildfire forced Maeve and her neighbours to leave their homes.
Heavy rain helped slow the spreading of the chemical leak into the river.
Scientists tracked the spreading of the oil stain from the harbour to the open sea.
The slow spreading of the rash on João's arm worried his mother for days.
- containment
active effort to stop the spreading, often used in medicine and emergency response
- shrinkage
process of getting smaller in area or amount
文法句型
the spreading of + noun
spreading from + noun
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable and almost always followed by 'of'. Subjects are typically things that physically grow outward (fire, disease, stain) or expand into new areas; for ideas or news, sense 2 is preferred.
常見錯誤
2. the action of passing news, ideas, beliefs, or information from one person to ma
the action of passing news, ideas, beliefs, or information from one person to many others.
Social media has made the spreading of false rumours faster than ever before.
noun + 'of' + ideas/rumours/news
Nadia's blog focuses on the spreading of climate science to ordinary readers.
The library supports the spreading of knowledge through free reading clubs for children.
Local police are investigating the spreading of harmful messages about the new mayor.
Translators play a quiet role in the spreading of poetry across languages and borders.
- dissemination
more formal, often used in academic or official contexts
- circulation
stresses passing through a group; common with rumours and printed material
- propagation
formal; suggests deliberate effort to multiply followers of a belief
- suppression
deliberate effort to stop information from reaching others
- censorship
official blocking of information, usually by a government
文法句型
the spreading of + information/ideas/rumours
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense takes abstract objects (information, beliefs, rumours, gospel), while sense 1 takes physical or biological objects (disease, fire, stain). Frequently appears with judgement words like 'false', 'harmful', or 'free'.