Meaning & use
splay out
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Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitive
to spread out or open wide from a central point, often in a flat or fan-like shape.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (splay out something) or without (something splays out). Often used with body parts or branches.
Patterns
- splay out something
- something splays out
- splay out from something
The tree branches splay out in all directions, making a wide canopy.
She splayed out her fingers to show the ring.
The map splayed out on the table, covering the whole surface.
Word forms
| third person singular | splays out |
|---|---|
| past tense | splayed out |
| past participle | splayed out |
| -ing form | splaying out |
Common combinations
- splay out fingers
- He splayed out his fingers on the piano keys.
- splay out branches
- The old oak splayed out its branches over the garden.
- splay out on the ground
- The fallen leaves splayed out on the wet ground.
- splay out from the center
- The spokes splay out from the center of the wheel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- spread out
- More general; 'splay out' often suggests a fan-like or awkward spreading.
- fan out
- Similar but often used for people or things moving outward, not just static spreading.
Opposites
Word family
- splay verb
- to spread out or open wide, often used without 'out'.
- splayed adjective
- spread out or opened wide.
Commonly confused: splay out or display?
splay out vs display
Display means to show something, while splay out means to spread outward physically.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
An is correct because 'splay out' means to spread out, often used for claws or fingers. B is possible but less precise; C and D use incorrect prepositions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “splay out”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.