v. 1
To disperse, to scatter or distribute over a given area.
I spread the rice grains evenly over the floor.
v. 2
To stretch out, open out (a material etc.) so that it more fully covers a given area of space.
He spread his newspaper on the table.
n. 1
The act of spreading.
n. 2
Something that has been spread.

Related words

Word family: spreadable spread-eagle spreader spreading spreadsheet
Phrases: spread out spread one's wings ratio spread reverse ratio spread calendar spread spread one's legs spread the bed time spread

Forms

disperse The police hurried to disperse the riots with force.
circulate Was there a need to circulate that news bulletin?
propagate Ziri wants to propagate this ivy in Rima's garden.
disseminate If you're going to disseminate ideas, make sure they're worthwhile.
expand Detours expand your knowledge of the surroundings.
extend I want to extend my stay here for a few more days.

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

3 letters: set¹, run¹, lay¹, gap¹, sow¹
4 letters: open²
5 letters: cover², reach¹, throw¹, sweep¹, feast¹, ranch¹, paste¹, smear¹, strew¹
6 letters: extent², expand², extend², mantle², unfold², sparse¹, dilate², unroll², unfurl²
7 letters: variety⁴, display², stretch¹, publish², banquet², scatter², diffuse², enlarge², overlay³, pervade², suffuse², distend²
8 letters: increase², distance², disperse², dispense², straddle²
9 letters: broadcast², diffusion³, circulate³, propagate³, bedspread²
10 letters: distribute³, sprinkling², promulgate³
11 letters: circulation⁴, propagation⁴, disseminate⁴, circularize⁴, counterpane, circularise
13 letters: dissemination⁵

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (open² = 2 syllables).