Adjective
Tending to spread horizontally.
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More examples (1)
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.
I should use very thick worsted and make very big, loopy, spready stitches.
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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.
Having a large surface area in proportion to its weight.
Usage- of an animal hide
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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.
Having a tendency to spread more easily.
Usage- of a microorganism
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These bacteria form large, spready colonies.
Noun
A spready hide.
Usage- Dated
A spreadsheet.
Usage- Informal