spread-eagle

See also: spread eagle and spreadeagle

English

Etymology

From splayed-eagle (in heraldry), splayed + eagle.

Adjective

spread-eagle (comparative more spread-eagle, superlative most spread-eagle)

  1. Lying with arms and legs outstretched and separated.
  2. (colloquial, humorous) Characterized by a pretentious, boastful, exaggerated style; bombastic.
    a spread-eagle orator
    a spread-eagle speech

Adverb

spread-eagle (comparative more spread-eagle, superlative most spread-eagle)

  1. With arms and legs extended and spread.

Verb

spread-eagle (third-person singular simple present spread-eagles, present participle spread-eagling, simple past and past participle spread-eagled)

  1. (transitive) To put into a spread-eagle position, with arms and legs extended and spread.
  2. (intransitive) To put one's body in a spread eagle.

Translations
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