Sprawl

Sprawl
Sprawl Sprawl (spr[add]l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sprawled} (spr[add]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Sprawling}.] [OE. spraulen; cf. Sw. sprattla to sprawl, dial. Sw. spralla, Dan. spr[ae]lle, spr[ae]lde, D. spartelen, spertelen, to flounder, to struggle.] 1. To spread and stretch the body or limbs carelessly in a horizontal position; to lie with the limbs stretched out ungracefully. [1913 Webster]

2. To spread irregularly, as vines, plants, or trees; to spread ungracefully, as chirography. [1913 Webster]

3. To move, when lying down, with awkward extension and motions of the limbs; to scramble in creeping. [1913 Webster]

The birds were not fledged; but upon sprawling and struggling to get clear of the flame, down they tumbled. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sprawl´er — sprawl «sprl», verb, noun. –v.i. 1. to toss or spread the limbs about, like an infant or an animal lying on its back: »reading contentedly with his legs sprawled over the arm of the couch. 2. to lie or sit with the limbs spread out, especially… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sprawl — can refer to:*Sprawl (grappling), a defensive technique in wrestling and martial arts *Urban sprawl, also called suburban sprawl *The Sprawl, the metropolitan region stretching from Boston to Atlanta in William Gibson s fiction …   Wikipedia

  • sprawl — (spr[add]l), n. The position or state resulting from sprawling; as, he sat on the couch in a sprawl; uncontrolled urban sprawl. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sprawl — sprawl·er; sprawl·ing·ly; sprawl; …   English syllables

  • sprawl — [sprôl] vi. [ME spraulen < OE spreawlian, to move convulsively: see SPROUT] 1. a) to spread the limbs in a relaxed, awkward, or unnatural position b) to sit or lie in such a position [to sprawl in a chair] 2. to crawl in an awkward, ungainly… …   English World dictionary

  • sprawl|y — «SPR lee», adjective, sprawl|i|er, sprawl|i|est. of a sprawling character; straggly …   Useful english dictionary

  • sprawl — index expand, spread Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sprawl — [v] sit or lie spread out drape, extend, flop, lie, lie spread eagle*, loll, lounge, ramble, recline, sit, slouch, slump, spread, straddle, straggle, stretch, trail; concept 201 Ant. straighten …   New thesaurus

  • sprawl — ► VERB 1) sit, lie, or fall with one s limbs spread out in an ungainly way. 2) (often as adj. sprawling) spread out irregularly over a large area. ► NOUN 1) a sprawling position or movement. 2) a sprawling group or mass, especially the… …   English terms dictionary

  • sprawl — [[t]sprɔ͟ːl[/t]] sprawls, sprawling, sprawled 1) VERB If you sprawl somewhere, you sit or lie down with your legs and arms spread out in a careless way. → See also sprawled [V prep/adv] She sprawled on the bed as he had left her, not even moving… …   English dictionary

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