spread
verb OPAL S
/spred/
among people
1 intransitive, transitive to affect or make something affect, be known by, or be used by more and more people
The news had spread and was causing great excitement.
+ adv./prep.
Use of computers spread rapidly during that period.
Within weeks, his confidence had spread throughout the team.
The disease spreads easily.
The idea spread quickly in the years that followed.
spread something
Someone's been spreading rumours about you.
He's using his rap music to spread the message that violence is wrong.
The disease is spread by mosquitoes.
The virus is primarily spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing.
The depression started in the US and spread quickly throughout the world.
TOPICS Health problems B1