# spray

Pronunciation: say "SPRAY" /spɹeɪ/

## Noun

1. A fine, gentle mist of liquid scattered through the air, such as the droplets thrown up by breaking waves.
   - Simple: Many tiny drops of water or other liquid moving through the air.
   - _Spray from the breaking waves drifted across the deck and stung their eyes._
   - _The fountain's jets dissolved into a drifting spray that cooled the whole plaza._
3. Any of the many commercial products, such as paints, cosmetics, and insecticides, that are sold in containers and released as a fine mist.
   - Simple: A product like paint, hair product, or bug killer that comes out of a can as a mist.
   - _The garden center sells an organic spray that keeps aphids off roses._
   - _Cosmetic companies now market sprays that set makeup for a full day._
5. A pressurized container or atomizer that releases its contents as a fine mist.
   - Simple: A can or bottle that pushes out liquid as a mist when you press the top.
   - _She refilled the little spray with water and misted the ferns._
   - _Hold the spray about a foot from the wall and move it in even strokes._
7. Anything that looks like a fine mist of scattered drops, such as a sprinkling of freckles.
   - Simple: Something that looks like many tiny drops spread out, like freckles on a nose.
   - _Freckles ran across her cheekbones in a faint spray._
   - _The truck's tires sent up a spray of gravel as it pulled off the shoulder._
8. A small branch or stem with flowers or berries growing along it, whether on the plant or cut for a bouquet.
   - Simple: A small branch with flowers or berries on it.
   - _Florists tuck a spray of baby's breath between the roses to fill out the bouquet._
   - _Sprays of hawthorn blossom bent over the lane in the May wind._
10. In medicine, a jet of fine medicated vapor, applied to an affected part of the body or used to fill a room's air with a disinfectant or deodorizer.
   - Simple: A fine mist of medicine put on a sore part of the body or used to clean a room's air.
   - _The nurse directed a fine spray of antiseptic over the wound before dressing it._
   - _In the ward a spray of disinfectant was released into the air twice a day to keep infection down._
11. The small branches and twigs of a tree or shrub taken together, with their leaves.
   - Simple: All the small branches, twigs, and leaves of a tree or bush, as a whole.
   - _Pea sticks should be cut with plenty of spray on them so the tendrils have something to grip._
   - _After the storm the lawn was littered with spray torn from the oaks._
12. An ornament or decorative design in the shape of a branch.
   - Simple: A decoration or pattern that is made to look like a small branch.
   - _The brooch was a diamond spray, each stone set as a bud along a curving stem._
   - _A carved spray of oak leaves runs across the top of the mantelpiece._
13. A loud, angry scolding, typically one delivered by a sports coach or a similar figure in charge. *(Australia)*
   - Simple: A loud, angry talk from a coach or boss about what someone did wrong.
   - _After the loss the coach gave the players a real spray in the sheds._
   - _The captain copped a spray from the umpire for arguing the decision._
18. In metal casting, a side channel branching off the runner of a mold flask, cut so that the molten metal reaches every part of the mold.
   - Simple: In metal casting, a small side passage that carries melted metal to every part of a mold.
   - _The molder cut a spray to each corner of the mold so the metal would fill evenly._
   - _Molten iron ran along the runner and divided among the sprays feeding the cavity._
19. In metal casting, a set of pieces cast together in one mold and still joined by the metal that hardened in the runner and its branches.
   - Simple: A group of metal pieces made in one mold that are still joined together by thin bars of metal.
   - _Each spray held a dozen small brass fittings that were cut apart after cooling._
   - _The foundry shipped the parts still attached to their sprays to save handling._

## Verb

2. To send a liquid at someone or something as a scattered stream or mist of drops.
   - Simple: To send liquid at a person or thing in many small drops.
   - _Firefighters sprayed the roof for an hour to keep the flames from spreading._
   - _Crews spray the orchard with pesticide each spring before the trees bloom._
4. To scatter something outward as fine drops or particles, or to shoot out in a scattered stream of drops.
   - Simple: To send something out in many small drops, or to come out that way.
   - _Mechanics spray oil into the lock to free the stuck pin._
   - _Water sprayed out of the cracked pipe and across the basement floor._
6. To send many small things flying out in all directions, as though they were drops of liquid.
   - Simple: To send out lots of small things in every direction, like drops of water.
   - _Distribution hubs spray millions of parcels out across the country every night._
   - _He sprayed opinions across social media without ever checking a fact._
9. Of an animal, to release urine on a surface in order to mark its territory.
   - Simple: Of an animal, to pee on something to mark an area as its own.
   - _Unneutered tomcats spray to mark the edges of their territory._
   - _The leopard sprayed against a tree trunk, leaving a scent that other leopards would recognize._
14. In soccer, to pass the ball, usually sideways across the field and often over a long distance.
   - Simple: In soccer, to pass the ball, often a long way sideways across the field.
   - _Their playmaker can spray the ball to either wing with one touch and without looking up._
   - _The center back sprayed long diagonal balls to the flanks all afternoon._
15. To shower money on guests as they dance at a party or other function. *(Nigeria)*
   - Simple: To throw money over people as they dance at a party.
   - _By midnight the celebrant's friends were spraying him with crisp naira notes on the dance floor._
   - _Wealthy guests like to spray the host and the musicians to show their generosity._
16. In Australian rules football, to kick the ball badly so that it goes somewhere other than where it was meant to.
   - Simple: In Australian football, to kick the ball badly so it goes the wrong way.
   - _The forwards sprayed the ball all afternoon, kicking behind after behind and only two goals._
   - _Under pressure from the tagger, he would spray the ball instead of hitting a target._
17. In climbing slang, to give someone advice they did not want. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To give advice that people do not want, especially about climbing.
   - _He sprayed beta at every climber who got on the route, whether they wanted it or not._
   - _Regulars at the gym learn not to spray when someone is working a problem._

## Other meanings

- (verb) To fill a heap or other memory area with many identical blocks of bytes so an exploit can rely on that data sitting at a known address.
- (noun) In computer security, the technique of filling many blocks of memory with identical bytes so the data lands at a predictable address an exploit can use.
- (noun) A piece of land planted with fruit trees.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–7, 9–10, 13–19** — From Middle Dutch sprāien, sprayen, spraeyen (“to spray, sprinkle, spread”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sprēwijaną (“to spray, sprinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)per- (“to sow, scatter”). It is cognate with Middle High German spræjen, spræwen (“to squirt, spray, dust, splash, straw”), Dutch sproeien (“to spray, sprinkle”), German sprühen (“to spray, sparkle”), and dialect words in Danish, Swedish and Norwegian.
**Meanings 8, 11–12** — From Middle English spray, from Old English *spræġ, sprei (found in place names such as Spreyton, England), of unknown origin.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/spray (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).