splay

Everyday

1. To splay is to spread things wide apart, especially fingers, legs or feet. tree →
2. Splayed means spread out wide or turned outward. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and descriptions, «splayed» shows a body position: a frog with splayed legs, a cat lying splayed in the sun. In sport, climbers and skiers may splay their feet or hands for balance. Phrases: «splay your fingers», «splayed legs», «splayed out».

Examples

• Splay your fingers wide like a starfish. tree →
• The frog jumped with its legs splayed. tree →
• The puppy lay splayed out on the cool floor. tree →
• He fell over on the ice with his arms splayed. tree →
• A giraffe has to splay its front legs to drink. tree →
• The tree's roots splayed out across the ground. tree →

Note

Past: «splayed». Similar words: «spread», «stretch out». «Splay-footed» means with feet turning outward.