ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sprayed

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈspɹeɪd// UK //spɹˈeɪd// sprayed Archaic Dialect

v. to blow or force a liquid out of a container in many tiny drops. You often do this when cleaning a window or watering plants.

v. past tense and past participle of 'spray'; refers to the action of dispersing liquid in a mass of small drops through pressure.


SIMPLE

She sprayed the counter with cleaner and wiped it dry.

CONTEXTUAL

The gardener sprayed the roses with water to keep them hydrated during the heatwave.

COMPLEX

After the graffiti artist sprayed the mural across the brick wall, the city council debated whether to preserve the artwork or restore the original surface.

Synonyms
Usage

Transitive when referring to the surface being covered or the liquid being dispersed.

Pitfall

He sprayed to the wallHe sprayed the wallThe verb is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition when describing the surface being covered.

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