Sprays

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /spɹeɪz/

Definitions

1. To emit a fine stream or mist of liquid forcibly from a source ; to distribute liquid in tiny droplets over a surface or area ; to apply liquid widely in dispersed form, often for covering or cleaning
2. To release a thin jet or mist of liquid, usually by force ; to scatter liquid particles in small amounts across something ; to spread a liquid broadly by means of a fine dispersion
3. To send out liquid as a mist or stream from an outlet ; to scatter liquid droplets for coverage or treatment ; to cover an area or object using a spray or fine mist

Etymology: The plural "sprays" is simply the third-person form of the verb and the plural of the noun "spray", so the history belongs to "spray" itself. Its roots run deep into Germanic speech. Middle Dutch "sprāien" meant to spray, sprinkle or spread, and it descends from a Proto-Germanic verb of sowing and scattering, which in turn goes back to an ancient Indo-European root meaning to sow or scatter seed. The same idea survives in relatives such as German "sprühen", which means to spray or sparkle, and Dutch "sproeien", to sprinkle. English took the word into Middle English as "spray", and its earliest known form, Old English "sprǣg", appears in place names such as Spreyton in England. The origin of that Old English form is unknown, though it is often compared with "sprig", meaning a shoot or twig. Scattering seed and scattering droplets turned out to be the same action, which explains why a word for sowing became a word for a fine spread of water.

Synonyms: mist, aerosol, squirt