spreading wings

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrasefigurative

   The act or stage of beginning to develop your abilities, confidence, or independence, especially after a period of being protected.

   Grammar: Used mainly as a noun phrase, often after verbs like spread, try, or test: it is the moment of starting to act freely.

   Patterns

   • spread your wings
   • try your spreading wings
   • test your spreading wings

   After two years in a small office, she felt ready to spread her spreading wings and run her own project.

   The scholarship gave him the chance to spread his spreading wings and study far from home.

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   A bird's action of opening its wings wide, often before flying or landing.

   Grammar: Describes a physical action; it usually follows a verb such as be or watch, or appears in descriptions of birds.

   Patterns

   • the bird's spreading wings
   • watch the spreading wings
   • with spreading wings

   The eagle stood on the rock, its spreading wings catching the morning sun.

   We watched the spreading wings of the heron as it rose slowly from the water.

Common combinations

spread your wings

Students often spread their wings when they first live away from home.

ready to spread your wings

At eighteen she was ready to spread her wings and travel.

a chance to spread your wings

The new job was a chance to spread his wings.

spreading wings of a bird

The spreading wings of the crane filled the whole frame of the photo.

Synonyms and how they differ

growing independence

Focuses on the state of becoming free, while spreading wings suggests the first active step of trying new things.

taking flight

Often literal for birds and can also mean leaving; spreading wings stresses preparing to use your own power.

Opposites

Word family

wing noun

One of the body parts a bird uses to fly.

winged adjective

Having wings.

wingless adjective

Without wings.

wingbeat noun

A single movement of a bird's wing.

Commonly confused: spreading wings or spreading rumors?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “spreading wings”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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