spreizen
Translation
to spread, to splay, to straddle
Examples
Der Vogel spreizt seine Flügel.
The bird spreads its wings.
Er spreizt die Beine zum Dehnen.
He spreads his legs to stretch.
Sie spreizt die Finger weit.
She splays her fingers wide.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to spread (sth.) The eagle spreads its wings.
sich ((spreizen)) to spread oneself out The cat spreads itself out in the sun.
Similar Words
Synonyms: ausbreiten, öffnen; Antonyms: schließen, zusammenlegen
Etymology
From Middle High German 'spreizen', related to 'sprießen' (to sprout). It conveys an image of spreading outwards.
Memory Tips
The sound 'spreiz' is similar to the English word 'spreads'. Imagine a peacock spreading its feathers.