spray */

I UK [spreɪ] / US verb
Word forms "spray":
present tense I/you/we/they spray he/she/it sprays present participle spraying past tense sprayed past participle sprayed

1) [intransitive/transitive] if you spray a liquid, or if it sprays, it is forced out of a container through a small hole into the air

The fountain's cool water sprayed upwards with a pleasant hiss.

Mansell stood on the podium and sprayed champagne into the air.

spray someone/something with something:

I caught the kids next door spraying my dog with cold water!

spray something on/onto/over something:

The chemical is sprayed onto the roof to weatherproof it.

a) to cover crops or a large area of land with a chemical spray in order to kill insects or to prevent diseases

Health officials have sprayed the areas where the virus was active.

Farmers have to apply for permits to spray from the air.

spray for:

They're spraying for mosquitoes this weekend.

b) British to paint a car by spraying paint on it

2) [transitive] to shoot a large number of bullets at something, covering a wide area

spray someone/something with something:

The men sprayed the vehicle with automatic gunfire.

3) [intransitive/transitive] if a cat sprays a particular area, it urinates in many places around the area to show other cats that it lives there

II UK [spreɪ] / US noun
Word forms "spray":
singular spray plural sprays

1) [countable/uncountable] a liquid product in a container that you use by pushing a button so that the liquid is forced out through a small hole into the air

Don't forget to pack the insect spray.

a spray bottle/can

2) [singular/uncountable] many small drops of water that are forced into the air together, for example from the sea

The cold spray from the rocks below stung her face.

The dog shook himself sending a spray of water into the air.

3) [countable] a small branch with flowers or berries on it, used for decoration

fresh sprays of evergreen