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spread out

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phrasal verb
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyspread out
he/she/itspreads out
present participlespreading out
past tensespread out
past participlespread out

Related dictionary definitions

 
  1. 1
    [intransitive] if people in a group spread out, they move away from one another so that they cover a large area

    Let’s spread out more and search the whole field.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  spread outThesaurus entry for this meaning of spread out
  3. 3
    [transitive] same as spread (sense 3)

    Spread out the map so we can all see it.

  4. 4
    [intransitive/transitive] to cover a large area of land that you can see in front of you

    She gazed at the sprawling city spread out below her.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  spread outThesaurus entry for this meaning of spread out
  5. 5
    [transitive] [usually passive] to put people in many parts of a large area

    The peacekeeping forces are now spread out over most of the country.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  spread outThesaurus entry for this meaning of spread out
  6. 6
    [transitive] [usually passive] same as spread (sense 5b)

    The students felt the course would be better if it was spread out over two years instead of one.

  7. 7
    [transitive] same as spread (sense 8)

    He spread out his toes in the soft sand and wiggled them.

This is the British English definition of spread out. View American English definition of spread out.

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