spread around
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle around
Meanings
Make widely known among a group
Why “around”? Something moves from person to person. Soon many people have it or know it.
“Word spread around quickly.”
“The rumour spread around the office.”
Don't confuse with
Spread around means make widely known among a group. Spread out means extend over a wide area.
Test yourself
“Word spread around quickly.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
spread out
A contrast learners often mix up
Extend over a wide area
ask around
Same around pattern: sharing
Ask several different people in order to find information
circulate around
Same around pattern: sharing
Pass through a group of people
get around
Same around pattern: sharing
Avoid a rule or difficulty; Travel or move about; (of news) become widely known; Find time to do something
go around
Same around pattern: sharing
Take a longer path to avoid something; Move in a circular path; Be enough for everyone in a group; Behave in a particular way habitually; (of an illness) be common in a community
hand around
Same around pattern: sharing
Give out by hand from one to another
kick around
Same around pattern: sharing
Discuss informally as a group
pass around
Same around pattern: sharing
Distribute by handing from one to the next
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