Definition

1. Noun:

   • An ungainly posture with arms and legs spread out: The act or position of sitting or lying with the body and limbs stretched out in a careless, relaxed, or awkward manner.
   • An aggregation or continuous network of urban communities: The uncontrolled, often unattractive, spread of a city or urban development into surrounding areas.

2. Verb:

   • To sit or lie with one's limbs spread out in a relaxed or awkward way: To adopt a posture of careless relaxation by extending the body and limbs.
   • To spread out in a rambling, irregular, or straggling way: To extend or grow in an irregular, untidy, or uncontrolled manner, without a defined shape or order.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He was lying in a lazy sprawl on the sofa. (He was lying on the sofa with his body and limbs carelessly spread out.)
  • The city's sprawl has consumed much of the surrounding farmland. (The uncontrolled expansion of the city has taken over much of the nearby farmland.)

• Verb:

  • After the long hike, they just wanted to sprawl on the grass. (After the long hike, they just wanted to lie on the grass with their limbs stretched out.)
  • Vines sprawled across the old garden wall. (Vines grew and spread in an irregular, untidy way across the old garden wall.)
  • Her handwriting sprawled across the page. (Her handwriting spread out messily across the page.)

Advanced Usage

• "Urban sprawl": A noun phrase describing the uncontrolled, often poorly planned, expansion of urban areas into rural or undeveloped land.

  • Policies are needed to manage urban sprawl and protect green spaces.

• "To sprawl out": A phrasal verb emphasizing the act of spreading one's body or limbs out fully.

  • The cat found a sunny spot and sprawled out on the floor.

Variants and Related Words

• Sprawling (adj.): Extending over a large area in an untidy or irregular way.
  • They live in a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of town.
• Sprawled (adj./past participle): In a state of being spread out.
  • He was found sprawled on the floor.

Synonyms

• Noun (posture): Slouch, loll.
• Noun (urban expansion): Expansion, spread.
• Verb (to sit/lie): Lounge, loll, stretch out.
• Verb (to spread out): Straggle, spread, ramble.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Sprawl out: To lie or sit with one's body and limbs fully extended.
  • He sprawled out in front of the television.

Related Idioms

• (To be) sent sprawling: To be knocked or pushed so that one falls to the ground with limbs spread out.
  • The collision sent him sprawling onto the pavement.

Noun

1. an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about
2. an aggregation or continuous network of urban communities

Verb

1. go, come, or spread in a rambling or irregular way
   • Branches straggling out quite far
2. sit or lie with one's limbs spread out