Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: spreawlian

sprawl

1 verb
     
sprawl1 also sprawl out [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]
1 to lie or sit with your arms or legs stretched out in a lazy or careless way:
He sprawled out on the sofa.
I tripped on a stone and went sprawling on the pavement.
a blow which sent him sprawling
2 if buildings sprawl, they spread out over a wide area in an untidy and unattractive way:
The town seemed to sprawl for miles.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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