Advertisement

sprawl (v.)

Old English spreawlian "move convulsively," with cognates in the Scandinavian languages (such as Norwegian sprala, Danish sprælle) and North Frisian spraweli, probably ultimately from PIE root *sper- (4) "to strew" (see sprout (v.)). Meaning "to spread out" is from c. 1300. That of "to spread or stretch in a careless manner" is attested from 1540s; of things, from 1745. Related: Sprawled; sprawling.

sprawl (n.)

1719, from sprawl (v.); meaning "straggling expansion of built-up districts into surrounding countryside" is from 1955.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of sprawl from WordNet
1
sprawl (v.)
sit or lie with one's limbs spread out;
sprawl (v.)
go, come, or spread in a rambling or irregular way;
Synonyms: straggle
2
sprawl (n.)
an aggregation or continuous network of urban communities;
Synonyms: conurbation / urban sprawl
sprawl (n.)
an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about;
Synonyms: sprawling
From wordnet.princeton.edu