spray

¹

[sprey]

noun

1. water or other liquid broken up into minute droplets and blown, ejected into, or falling through the air.

2. a jet of fine particles of liquid, as medicine, insecticide, paint, perfume, etc., discharged from an atomizer or other device for direct application to a surface.

3. a liquid to be discharged or applied in such a jet.

4. an apparatus or device for discharging such a liquid.

5. a quantity of small objects, flying or discharged through the air.

   a spray of shattered glass.

verb (used with object)

1. to scatter in the form of fine particles.

2. to apply as a spray.

   to spray an insecticide on plants.

3. to sprinkle or treat with a spray.

   to spray plants with insecticide.

4. to direct a spray of particles, missiles, etc., upon.

   to spray the mob with tear gas.

verb (used without object)

1. to scatter spray; discharge a spray.

   The hose sprayed over the flowers.

2. to issue as spray.

   The water sprayed from the hose.

spray

²

[sprey]

noun

1. a single, slender shoot, twig, or branch with its leaves, flowers, or berries.

   Synonyms: twig, sprig, shoot, branch

2. a group or bunch of cut flowers, leafy twigs, etc., arranged decoratively and for display, as in a vase.

   Synonyms: sprig, posy, nosegay, corsage, bouquet

3. an ornament having a similar form.

spray

¹

/ spreɪ /

noun

1. fine particles of a liquid

2. 1. a liquid, such as perfume, paint, etc, designed to be discharged from an aerosol or atomizer

      hair spray

   2. the aerosol or atomizer itself

3. a quantity of small objects flying through the air

   a spray of bullets

verb

1. to scatter (liquid) in the form of fine particles

2. to discharge (a liquid) from an aerosol or atomizer

3. (tr) to treat or bombard with a spray

   to spray the lawn

spray

²

/ spreɪ /

noun

1. a single slender shoot, twig, or branch that bears buds, leaves, flowers, or berries, either growing on or detached from a plant

2. a small decorative bouquet or corsage of flowers and foliage

3. a piece of jewellery designed to resemble a spray of flowers, leaves, etc

Other Word Forms

• sprayer noun
• sprayable adjective
• sprayability noun
• sprayless adjective
• spraylike adjective
• unsprayable adjective
• unsprayed adjective
• well-sprayed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spray¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from earlier Dutch spraeyen; cognate with Middle High German spræjen

Origin of spray²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sprai(e); of uncertain origin; perhaps akin to sprag ¹ or sprig ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of spray¹

C17: from Middle Dutch sprāien; related to Middle High German spræjen

Origin of spray²

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old English sprǣc young shoot, Old Norse sprek brittle wood, Old High German sprahhula splinter

Example Sentences

As Israeli forces advanced on Gaza City to confront what they described as the last major Hamas stronghold in the strip, Al-Quds was sprayed by gunfire and rocked by bombs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

County’s juvenile halls in 2018 and found probation officers were using pepper spray excessively, failing to provide proper educational and therapeutic programming and detaining youths in solitary confinement for far too long.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

World tennis No. 1 Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, recently received a three-month ban after blaming two positive tests for an anabolic steroid on a spray used by his physical therapist.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Roske pleaded guilty in April, nearly three years after being arrested outside Kavanaugh’s house with a pistol, zip ties, duct tape, pepper spray, crowbar and hammer, along with other burglary tools, according to court records.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Bath & Body Works and Milk Bar bakery launched Birthday Cake body sprays and hand sanitizers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• drizzle 
• dust 
• scatter 
• shoot 
• shower 
• smear 
• splash 
• squirt