ADV

carefully
out
We spread the rug out on the floor

PREP

across, on, over

PHRASES

spread sth open
He had a newspaper spread open on his knee

ADV

fast, like wildfire, quickly, rapidly, soon
The news spread like wildfire
gradually, slowly
easily
The disease spreads easily
widely
Allow plenty of space for this plant as its roots spread widely
far and wide
His fame had spread far and wide
geographically
Friends may be spread geographically. Neighbours, by definition, are nearby
outwards

PREP

across, among, around/round, beyond, from, into, over, through, throughout, to
The effects of this policy spread far beyond children now at school. The fire rapidly spread to adjoining buildings

PHRASES

thinly spread
Expertise in this field is very thinly spread across the country

ADV

generously, liberally, thickly
lightly, thinly
evenly
Don't make the paste too thick, or it will not spread evenly

PREP

on
He spread jam on the toast
with
Spread each slice generously with butter

ADV

equally, evenly, uniformly
unevenly

VERB + SPREAD

try to

PREP

among, between
We tried to spread the workload evenly between the departments
over
The course takes forty hours, spread over twenty weeks