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sprawl (v.)
Old English spreawlian "move convulsively," with cognates in the Scandinavian languages (such as Norwegian sprala, Danish sprælle) and North Frisian spraweli, probably ultimately from PIE root *sper- (4) "to strew" (see sprout (v.)). Meaning "to spread out" is from c. 1300. That of "to spread or stretch in a careless manner" is attested from 1540s; of things, from 1745. Related: Sprawled; sprawling.
sprawl (n.)
1719, from sprawl (v.); meaning "straggling expansion of built-up districts into surrounding countryside" is from 1955.
updated on November 13, 2013
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Definitions of sprawl from WordNet
Dictionary entries near sprawl
spout
sprag
sprain
sprang
sprat
sprawl
spray
spray-paint
spread
spreadable
spread-eagle