spray
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a mass of very small drops of liquid moving through the air.
n.a fine, dispersed mist of liquid particles, often created by wind, pressure, or impact.
Simple“The cool spray from the waterfall felt wonderful on such a hot day.”
In context“As the waves crashed against the jagged rocks, a fine spray of saltwater hung in the air, coating everything in a thin layer of brine.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.a can or bottle that sends out liquid in tiny drops when you press a button.
n.a pressurized container or atomizer designed to dispense liquid products in a fine mist.
Simple“She used a bug spray to keep the mosquitoes away during the picnic.”
In context“The technician applied the lubricant using a precision spray to ensure the internal gears were evenly coated without excess runoff.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small branch with flowers or leaves on it, often used for decoration.
n.a small shoot or branch of a plant bearing flowers, leaves, or berries, frequently used in floral arrangements.
Simple“The bride wore a small spray of white jasmine in her hair.”
In context“The centerpiece consisted of a delicate spray of orchids arranged artfully across a bed of damp moss.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a way of filling a computer's memory with data to help a hacker take control.
n.the allocation and filling of memory blocks with a specific byte sequence to facilitate an exploit.
Simple“The security patch was designed to prevent a heap spray attack.”
In context“By executing a heap spray, the attacker attempted to ensure the malicious payload landed at a predictable memory address.”
Synonymsheap spray - 05 B1 Intermediate
v.to cover something with tiny drops of liquid.
v.to direct a dispersed stream of liquid toward a surface or object.
Simple“You should spray the plants with water every morning.”
In context“The workers had to spray the entire orchard with organic pesticide before the fruit began to ripen.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to throw or send many small things out over a wide area.
v.to project or scatter a large number of small objects dispersively.
Simple“The car's tires started to spray gravel as it sped down the dirt road.”
In context“The machine gun fire began to spray bullets across the abandoned courtyard, forcing the soldiers to seek immediate cover.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
v.when an animal uses urine to mark its territory.
v.to eject urine, typically by a male animal, as a means of territorial marking.
Simple“The male cat started to spray the furniture to mark his territory.”
In context“In the wild, tigers frequently spray trees along the boundaries of their range to signal their presence to rivals.”
Synonyms - 08 C2 Proficiency
v.to yell at someone or criticize them loudly.
v.to deliver a loud, aggressive reprimand or scolding.
Simple“The coach gave the team a massive spray after they lost the game.”
In context“After the disastrous first half, the manager gave the players a legendary spray in the locker room that could be heard through the walls.”
UsageCommon in Australian English, particularly in sporting contexts.