spready en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From spread + -y.
Meanings
-
Tending to spread horizontally.
1602, William Basse, Three Pastoral Elegies of Anander, Anetor, and Muridella, Elegie II, in R. Warwick Bond (editor), The Poetical Works of William Basse, London: Ellis & Elvey, 1893, p. 49, The spready Beech, and dangling Sycomores Were clad in tender leaves and shady shiver,
The walls are covered with good Massimos, and the spready tapestry-coloured canvas of Lucas Giordaino and Solimene.
1837, Frank Hall Standish, chapter 25, in The Shores of the Mediterranean, volume 1, London: R. Lumley, page 283:I should use very thick worsted and make very big, loopy, spready stitches.
1913, Gouverneur Morris, chapter 11, in If You Touch Them They Vanish, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 125:Things about my place were more spready than high, myself; my house, the sheep-dogs, and Dolf, the Persian cat, whose silver fleece parted down the centre of his back and fluffed wide. Even my apple trees and lilacs grew spready.
1944, Emily Carr, “Attic Eagles”, in The House of All Sorts:
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(of an animal hide) Having a large surface area in proportion to its weight.
1912, Hides and Skins: From the Animal’s Back to the Tannery Door, Chicago: Shoe and Leather Weekly, “The Hid and Skin Trade in Great Britain,” p. 132, A fine spready hide is also obtained from the Hereford breed, these being favored by harness and belting makers.
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(of a microorganism) Having a tendency to spread more easily.
These bacteria form large, spready colonies.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most spready | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more spready | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |