spready

spread +‎ -y

• Rhymes: -ɛdi

spready (comparative more spready, superlative most spready)

1. 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,

   • 1837, Frank Hall Standish, The Shores of the Mediterranean, London: R. Lumley, Volume 1, Chapter 25, p. 283,

     The walls are covered with good Massimos, and the spready tapestry-coloured canvas of Lucas Giordaino and Solimene.

   • 1913, Morris Gouverneur, If You Touch Them They Vanish, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, Chapter 11, p. 125,

     I should use very thick worsted and make very big, loopy, spready stitches.

   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, “Attic Eagles,”

     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.

2. (tanning, 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.

3. (of a microorganism) Having a tendency to spread more easily.

   These bacteria form large, spready colonies.

spready (plural spreadies)

1. (tanning, dated) A spready hide.

• praysed, sprayed