Sprawl



GRE TOEFL

解释

GRE 红宝书

• v.伸展手脚而卧
• ［英］ v.伸展手脚而卧 ( to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out)
• ［同］ 近形词: scrawl ( 潦草地写) ;crawl ( 爬) 派生词: sprawling （adj. 蔓生的）
• ［例］ The tired boy sprawled on the grass.

Webster Collegiate

I. verb

• Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sprēawlian
• Date: before 12th century
• intransitive verb
  • 1.
    • a. archaic to lie thrashing or tossing about
    • b. to creep or clamber awkwardly
  • 2. to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out
  • 3. to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint <bushes sprawling along the road><sprawling suburbs><a sprawling narrative>
• transitive verb
  • to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly <sprawled out her books on the table>

II. noun

• Date: 1598
• 1. the act, posture, or condition of sprawling
• 2. an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass
• 3. urban sprawl

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