Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language is regarded by many as the finest English
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SPREAD, SPRED, v.t. pret. and pp. spread or spred. [G., to spread. The more correct orthography is spred. 1. To extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand to a broader surface; as, to spread a carpet or a table cloth; to spread a sheet on the ground. 2. To extend; to form into a plate; as, to spread silver. Jer 10. 3. To set; to place; to pitch; as, to spread a tent. Gen 33. 4. To cover by extending something; to reach every part. And an unusual paleness spreads her face. 5. To extend; to shoot to a greater length in every direction, so as to fill or cover a wider space. The stately trees fast spread their branches. 6. To divulge; to propagate; to publish; as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively know; as, to spread a report. In this use the word is sometimes accompanied with abroad. They, when they had departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. Mat 9. 7. To propagate; to cause to affect greater numbers; as, to spread a disease. 8. To emit; to diffuse; as emanations or effluvia; as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance. 9. To disperse; to scatter over a larger surface; as, to spread manure; to spread plaster or lime on the ground. 10. To prepare; to set and furnish with provision; as, to spread a table. God spread a table for the Israelites in the wilderness. 11. To open; to unfold; to unfurl; to stretch; as, to spread the sails of a ship. SPREAD, SPRED, v.i. 1. To extend itself in length and breadth, in all directions, or in breadth only; to be extended or stretched. The larger elms spread over a space of forty or fifty yards in diameter; or the shade of the larger elms spreads over that space. The larger lakes in America spread over more than fifteen hundred square miles. Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall. 2. To be extended by drawing or beating; as, a metal spreads with difficulty. 3. To be propagated or made known more extensively. Ill reports sometimes spread with wonderful rapidity. 4. To be propagated from one to another; as, a disease spreads into all parts of a city. The yellow fever of American cities has not been found to spread in the country. SPREAD, SPRED, n. 1. Extent; compass. I have a fine spread of improvable land. 2. Expansion of parts. No flower has that spread of the woodbind.