spray
♦ spray /spr'eɪ/ (sprays spraying sprayed)
1 [N-VAR] oft N from/of n
Spray is a lot of small drops of water which are being thrown into the air.
The moon was casting a rainbow through the spray from the waterfall...
2 [N-MASS]
A spray is a liquid kept under pressure in a can or other container, which you can force out in very small drops.
...hair spray.
...a can of insect spray.
3 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n with n, V prep
If you spray a liquid somewhere or if it sprays somewhere, drops of the liquid cover a place or shower someone.
A sprayer hooked to a tractor can spray five gallons onto ten acres...
Two inmates hurled slates at prison officers spraying them with a hose...
Drops of blood sprayed across the room.
4 [VERB] V prep, V n prep, V n with n
If a lot of small things spray somewhere or if something sprays them, they are scattered somewhere with a lot of force.
A shower of mustard seeds sprayed into the air and fell into the grass...
The intensity of the blaze shattered windows, spraying glass on the streets below...
The bullet slammed into the ceiling, spraying them with bits of plaster.
5 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n with n
If someone sprays bullets somewhere, they fire a lot of bullets at a group of people or things.
He ran to the top of the building spraying bullets into shoppers below...
The army lorries were sprayed with machine gun fire from guerrillas in the woods.
6 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed with n, also V n colour
If something is sprayed, it is painted using paint kept under pressure in a container.
The bare metal was sprayed with several coats of primer.
7 [VERB] V against n, V n, V, also V n prep
When someone sprays against insects, they cover plants or crops with a chemical which prevents insects feeding on them.
He doesn't spray against pests or diseases...
Confine the use of insecticides to the evening and do not spray plants that are in flower...
Because of the immunity of the immature insects, it's important to spray regularly.
8 [N-COUNT]
A spray is a piece of equipment for spraying water or another liquid, especially over growing plants.
9 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spray of flowers or leaves is a number of flowers or leaves on one stem or branch.
...a small spray of freesias.pep|per spray (pepper sprays)
[N-VAR]
Pepper spray is a device that causes tears and sickness and is sometimes used against rioters and attackers.
The officers blasted him with pepper spray.spray can (spray cans)
also spray-can
[N-COUNT]
A spray can is a small metal container containing liquid such as paint under pressure so that it can be sprayed.
= aerosolspray gun (spray guns)
also spray-gun
[N-COUNT]
A spray gun is a piece of equipment which you use to spray paint under pressure onto a surface.spray paint (spray paints spray painting spray painted)
also spray-paint
1 [N-MASS]
Spray paint is paint bought in a special can which you spray on a surface by pressing a button on the top of the can.
The walls have been horribly vandalized with spray paint.
2 [VERB] V n, V n on n
If you spray paint a surface, you paint it using spray paint. If you spray paint something on a surface, you paint it on that surface using spray paint.
The youths are taught how to spray paint cars and mend fences...
He spray-painted his name on the wall.
1 [N-VAR] oft N from/of n
Spray is a lot of small drops of water which are being thrown into the air.
The moon was casting a rainbow through the spray from the waterfall...
2 [N-MASS]
A spray is a liquid kept under pressure in a can or other container, which you can force out in very small drops.
...hair spray.
...a can of insect spray.
3 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n with n, V prep
If you spray a liquid somewhere or if it sprays somewhere, drops of the liquid cover a place or shower someone.
A sprayer hooked to a tractor can spray five gallons onto ten acres...
Two inmates hurled slates at prison officers spraying them with a hose...
Drops of blood sprayed across the room.
4 [VERB] V prep, V n prep, V n with n
If a lot of small things spray somewhere or if something sprays them, they are scattered somewhere with a lot of force.
A shower of mustard seeds sprayed into the air and fell into the grass...
The intensity of the blaze shattered windows, spraying glass on the streets below...
The bullet slammed into the ceiling, spraying them with bits of plaster.
5 [VERB] V n prep/adv, V n with n
If someone sprays bullets somewhere, they fire a lot of bullets at a group of people or things.
He ran to the top of the building spraying bullets into shoppers below...
The army lorries were sprayed with machine gun fire from guerrillas in the woods.
6 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed with n, also V n colour
If something is sprayed, it is painted using paint kept under pressure in a container.
The bare metal was sprayed with several coats of primer.
7 [VERB] V against n, V n, V, also V n prep
When someone sprays against insects, they cover plants or crops with a chemical which prevents insects feeding on them.
He doesn't spray against pests or diseases...
Confine the use of insecticides to the evening and do not spray plants that are in flower...
Because of the immunity of the immature insects, it's important to spray regularly.
8 [N-COUNT]
A spray is a piece of equipment for spraying water or another liquid, especially over growing plants.
9 [N-COUNT] N of n
A spray of flowers or leaves is a number of flowers or leaves on one stem or branch.
...a small spray of freesias.pep|per spray (pepper sprays)
[N-VAR]
Pepper spray is a device that causes tears and sickness and is sometimes used against rioters and attackers.
The officers blasted him with pepper spray.spray can (spray cans)
also spray-can
[N-COUNT]
A spray can is a small metal container containing liquid such as paint under pressure so that it can be sprayed.
= aerosolspray gun (spray guns)
also spray-gun
[N-COUNT]
A spray gun is a piece of equipment which you use to spray paint under pressure onto a surface.spray paint (spray paints spray painting spray painted)
also spray-paint
1 [N-MASS]
Spray paint is paint bought in a special can which you spray on a surface by pressing a button on the top of the can.
The walls have been horribly vandalized with spray paint.
2 [VERB] V n, V n on n
If you spray paint a surface, you paint it using spray paint. If you spray paint something on a surface, you paint it on that surface using spray paint.
The youths are taught how to spray paint cars and mend fences...
He spray-painted his name on the wall.