Word Study
overspread
CIDE DICTIONARY
overspread, v. t. [AS. oferspr.].
To spread over; to cover; as, the deluge overspread the earth. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
"Those nations of the North
Which overspread the world." [1913 Webster]
Which overspread the world." [1913 Webster]
overspread, v. i.
To be spread or scattered over. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
overspread, v.tr. (past and past part. -spread)
1 become spread or diffused over.
2 cover or occupy the surface of.
3 (as overspread adj.) (usu. foll. by with) covered (high mountains overspread with trees).
1 become spread or diffused over.
2 cover or occupy the surface of.
3 (as overspread adj.) (usu. foll. by with) covered (high mountains overspread with trees).
Etymology
OE oferspr{aelig}dan (as OVER-, SPREAD)
THESAURUS
overspread
apply to, beset, bespread, bestrew, blanket, block, broadcast, canopy, cap, circumfuse, cloak, clothe, cloud, cope, cover, cover up, cowl, crawl with, creep with, crown, curtain, deal out, diffract, diffuse, dispense, disperse, dispread, disseminate, distribute, diverge, eclipse, extend throughout, fan out, fill, film, flood, grow over, honeycomb, hood, imbue, infest, invade, issue, know no bounds, lay on, lay over, leave no void, leaven, luxuriate, mantle, mask, muffle, obduce, obscure, occult, occupy, overabound, overbrim, overcast, overflow, overgrow, overgrown, overlay, overrun, overscatter, oversow, overspill, overswarm, penetrate, permeate, pervade, plague, propagate, publish, pullulate, put on, radiate, ravage, retail, run riot, run through, scatter, screen, scum, shield, sow, sow broadcast, spill over, splay, spread, spread out, spread over, strew, suffuse, superabound, superimpose, superpose, swarm, swarm over, swarm with, teem, teem over, teem with, transfuse, utter, veilROGET THESAURUS
overspread
Dispersion
VB disperse, scatter, sow, broadcast, disseminate, diffuse, shed, spread, bestrew, overspread, dispense, disband, disembody, dismember, distribute, apportion, blow off, let out, dispel, cast forth, draught off, strew, straw, strow, ted, spirtle, cast, sprinkle, issue, deal out, retail, utter, resperse, intersperse, set abroach, circumfuse, turn adrift, cast adrift, scatter to the winds, spread like wildfire, disperse themselves.Covering
VB cover, superpose, superimpose, overlay, overspread, wrap, encase, incase, face, case, veneer, pave, paper, tip, cap, bind, bulkhead, bulkhead in, clapboard, coat, paint, varnish, pay, incrust, stucco, dab, plaster, tar, wash, besmear, bedaub, anoint, do over, gild, plate, japan, lacquer, lacker, enamel, whitewash, parget, lay it on thick, overlie, overarch, endome, conceal, anodize, galvanize.For further exploring for "overspread" in Webster Dictionary Online
