- spread (v.)
- c.1200, "to stretch out, to send in various directions," probably from O.E. -sprędan (especially in tosprędan "to spread out," and gesprędung "spreading"), from P.Gmc. *spraidijanan (cf. Dan. sprede, O.Swed. spreda, M.Du. spreiden, O.H.G., Ger. spreiten "to spread"), probably from PIE *sper- "to strew" (see sprout). Reflexive sense of "to extend, expand" is attested from mid-14c.
- spread (n.)
- 1691, "extent or expanse of something," from spread (v.). Meaning "copious meal" dates from 1822; sense of "food for spreading" (butter, jam, etc.) is from 1812. Sense of "bed cover" is recorded from 1848, originally Amer.Eng. Meaning "degree of variation" is attested from 1929. Spreadsheet is first attested 1982. Meaning "ranch for raising cattle" is attested from 1927.