# spray
## English
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /spɹeɪ/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -eɪ

### Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch sprāien, sprayen, spraeyen (“to spray, sprinkle, spread”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *sprēwijaną (“to spray, sprinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)per- (“to sow, scatter”).
Cognate with Middle High German spræjen, spræwen (“to squirt, spray, dust, splash, straw”), Danish dialectal språe (“to open up, burst forth”), Swedish dialectal språ (“to sprout, shoot forth, burst”), Norwegian dialectal spra, spræ (“to splash, splatter, spout, burst forth”), Dutch sproeien (“to spray, sprinkle”), German sprühen (“to spray, sparkle”).

#### Noun

spray (countable and uncountable, plural sprays)
* A fine, gentle, dispersed mist of liquid.
    The sailor could feel the spray from the waves.
** 1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, page 3:A strong sirocco was blowing the spray from the waves as far as the little café, whose glass doors were shut. The café reeked of brewing sage and human beings whose breath steamed the windows because of the cold outside.
* (figuratively) Something resembling a spray of liquid.
** 1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 171:Nurse Cramer had a cute nose and a radiant, blooming complexion dotted with fetching sprays of adorable freckles that Yossarian detested.
* (countable) A pressurized container; an atomizer.
    Synonym: spray can
* (countable) Any of numerous commercial products, including paints, cosmetics, and insecticides, that are dispensed from containers in this manner.
    Synonym: spray can
* (medicine, countable) A jet of fine medicated vapour, used either as an application to a diseased part or to charge the air of a room with a disinfectant or a deodorizer.
* (metalworking, countable) A side channel or branch of the runner of a flask, made to distribute the metal to all parts of the mold.
* (metalworking, countable) A group of castings made in the same mold and connected by sprues formed in the runner and its branches.
* (computing, countable) The allocation and filling of blocks of memory with the same byte sequence, hoping to establish that sequence in a certain predetermined location as part of an exploit.
** 2015, Herbert Bos, Fabian Monrose, Gregory Blanc, Research in Attacks, Intrusions, and Defenses: 18th International Symposium:This approach would be altered for an optimal omelette based exploit. One would spray the heap with the omelette code solely, then load a single copy of the additional shellcode eggs into memory outside the target region for the spray.
* (Australia) A loud scolding or reprimand, usually delivered by a sports coach or similar figure.
** 2008, Robert Harvey, Harves: Strength Through Loyalty, Macmillan Publishers Aus., →ISBN, page 119:On match days he could give a good spray, and in many ways he was an old-fashioned coach, having learned a lot of his approach from Ron Barassi.
** 2008, Kevin Hillier, Rocket Science: The Biography of Rodney Eade, Macmillan Publishers Aus., →ISBN, page 151:Expectations of what they will put up with have changed and a big spray probably doesn't have the effect it used to have. It certainly worked for me, I would get really aggressive and get fired up 'cause it's a motivational device they used.
** 2018, Paul Amy, Fabulous Fred: The Strife and Times of Fred Cook, Melbourne Books, →ISBN:He could give a bloody good spray, Bricey,' Cook says. 'He'd be frothing at the mouth after he'd finished.

##### Derived terms

* bear spray
* bidet spray
* body spray
* breath spray
* bug spray
* capiscum spray
* capsicum spray
* cooking spray
* feather spray
* fly spray
* hair spray
* horse spray
* nasal spray
* OC spray
* pepper spray
* pepper-spray
* pool spray
* room spray
* salt spray
* salt spray test
* silicone spray
* spray bomb
* spray bottle
* spray bow
* spray can
* spray cheese
* spray condenser
* spray drain
* spray-dry
* spray foam
* spray gun
* spray paint
* spray-tan
* spray tan
* spray-tanning
* vanishing spray

##### Descendants

* → Esperanto: spraji
* → Turkish: sprey

##### Translations
#### Verb

spray (third-person singular simple present sprays, present participle spraying, simple past and past participle sprayed)
* (transitive) To project a liquid in a dispersive manner toward something.
    The firemen sprayed the house.
    Using a water cannon, the national guard sprayed the protesters.
* (ergative) To project in a dispersive manner.
    Spray some ointment on that scratch.
    The water sprayed out of the hose.
* (transitive, figurative) To project many small items dispersively.
** 2019 November 21, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, in The Guardian‎:The sprawl of sheds like Magna Parks 1 to 3 are a particularly vivid measure, because they host the final moment of relative stasis for millions of products that are then sprayed out to homes in every direction.
** 2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:Now we are liberal with our innermost secrets, spraying them into the public ether with a generosity our forebears could not have imagined. Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet.
* (intransitive, zoology) To urinate in order to mark territory.
* (transitive, computing, computer security) To allocate blocks of memory from (a heap, etc.), and fill them with the same byte sequence, hoping to establish that sequence in a certain predetermined location as part of an exploit.
    to spray the heap of a target process
** 2015, Herbert Bos, Fabian Monrose, Gregory Blanc, Research in Attacks, Intrusions, and Defenses: 18th International Symposium:This approach would be altered for an optimal omelette based exploit. One would spray the heap with the omelette code solely, then load a single copy of the additional shellcode eggs into memory outside the target region for the spray.
* (transitive, soccer) To pass (a ball), usually laterally across the field and often a long distance.
** 2012 February 1, Ash Rose, The QPR Miscellany, The History Press, →ISBN:Kevin McLeod sprayed the ball across from the left flank where a raging Ainsworth met it on the volley from 25 yards out, crashing the ball into the roof of the net.
** 2013 August 11, Jamal Orme, The Victory Boys, Kube Publishing Ltd, →ISBN, page 13:Yunus sprayed it to the wing where Ali was in some space.
* (transitive, Australian rules football) To kick (a ball) poorly and in an unintended direction.
** 2011, Ashley Browne, Grand Finals: The Stories Behind the Premier Teams of the Victorian Football League. 1897-1938, Slattery Media Group, →ISBN, page 143:Despite a goal to Vin Gardiner for Carlton, courtesy of an infringement, the Blues squandered many opportunities in attack. They sprayed the ball with their field kicking, and in their path toward goal.
** 2016 June 28, Nick Richardson, The Game of Their Lives, Macmillan Publishers Aus., →ISBN:But once again their forwards, including Sloss, sprayed the ball in front of goal and squandered their momentum by kicking a solitary goal and six careless behinds.
* (climbing, slang, derogatory) To give unwanted advice.
* (Nigeria) To shower guests dancing at a function with money
** 2019, “Nigeria’s money-spraying culture: A national embarassment?”, in Apa News‎:“If a celebrator is dancing and you spray him/her, you may go to jail from the party venue because the law enforcement agents will be there, waiting to arrest you.

##### Derived terms

* say it, don't spray it
* sprayable
* spray and pray
* spray-on

##### Translations
### Etymology 2

From Middle English spray, from Old English *spræġ, sprei (found in place names such as that of Spreyton, England), of unknown origin.

#### Noun

spray (countable and uncountable, plural sprays)
* (countable) A small branch of flowers or berries.
    The bridesmaid carried a spray of lily-of-the-valley.
** a. 1674, John Milton, “To the Nightingale”, in Paradise Regain’d, Birmingham: J. and R. Tonson and S. Draper, published 1752, page 506:O Nightingale, that on yon bloomy ſpray / Warbleſt at eve, when all the woods are ſtill, / Thou with freſh hope the lover’s heart doſt fill, / While the jolly hours lead on propitious May.
** 1700, [John] Dryden, “The Flower and the Leaf: Or, The Lady in the Arbour. A Vision.”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 385:The painted Birds, Companions of the Spring, / Hopping from Spray to Spray, were heard to ſing ; / Both Eyes and Ears receiv’d a like Delight, / Enchanting Muſick, and a charming Sight.
* (countable) A collective body of small branches.
    The tree has a beautiful spray.
** a. 1426, Thomas Hoccleve, “The recordyng of aungeles song of the Natiuite of oure lady”, in Frederick James Furnivall, editor, Hoccleve's Works, volume III (in Middle English), London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., published 1897, lines 8–14, page xlvi:A blisful flour, owt of this spray schal springe ; / The fruyt þer-of schal be ful precïous ; / A causë haue [we] for to ioye & synge, / In honure of þat maidë gracïous, / That gret comfort schal cause[n] vnto vs ; / ffor now schal faste oure company encrees, / And god with man schal makë smallë pees.A blissful flower out will spring out of this spray; / Its fruit shall be very precious; / We have cause for joy and song, / In honour of that gracious maid, / Who will make us very comfortable; / for now our company will grow quickly, / And man will make peace with God.
** c. 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book VII, Canto VII:And from the Trees did lop the needless Spray;
* (uncountable) Branches and twigs collectively; foliage.
** a. 1300, Robert of Gloucester, “Henricus”, in William Aldis Wright, editor, The Metrical Chronicle of Robert of Gloucester (in Middle English), London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, published 1887, part I, page 755:Gret fur he made þer aniȝt of wode & of sprai.There, at night, he made a great box out of wood and spray.
** 1789, William Blake, “A Dream”, in Songs of Innocence:Troubled, 'wilder'd, and forlorn, / Dark, benighted, travel-worn, / Over many a tangled spray, / All heart-broke I heard her say
** a. 1843, John Claudius Loudon, “Catalogue of Culinary Vegetables”, in The Suburban Horticulturalist, London: Bradbury and Evans, published 1845, page 631:The pea, being a tendrilled climber, whenever it is to be cultivated to the greatest advantage, ought to be supported by pea sticks, which are branches of trees or shrubs well furnished with spray, and of lengths suited to the height to which the plants grow.
* (countable, obsolete) An orchard.
* (countable) An ornament or design that resembles a branch.

##### Translations
### References

* ↑ Edward H[enry] Knight (1877) “Spray”, in Knight’s American Mechanical Dictionary. […], volumes III (REA–ZYM), New York, N.Y.: Hurd and Houghton […], →OCLC.

### Anagrams

* Prays, Sarpy, prays, raspy, spary

## Dutch
### Etymology

Borrowed from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /spreː/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: spray

### Noun

spray m (plural sprays)
* spray (liquid commercial product sold in a spray container)

#### Derived terms

* haarspray
* verfspray

## Finnish
### Etymology

Borrowed from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsprei̯/, [ˈs̠pre̞i̯]
* Rhymes: -ei
* Hyphenation: spray

### Noun

spray
* spray (device for spraying)

#### Usage notes

* Many of the inflected forms, especially the plurals, are somewhat awkward. Therefore, it may be advisable to use appropriate synonyms for these cases, such as spraypullo, spraytölkki, suihke, suihkepullo.

#### Declension

Possessive forms of spray (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
sprayni
sprayni
accusative
nom.
sprayni
sprayni
gen.
sprayni
genitive
sprayni
sprayideni sprayitteni
partitive
spraytani
sprayitani
inessive
sprayssani
sprayissani
elative
spraystani
sprayistani
illative
sprayhini sprayhyni
sprayihini
adessive
sprayllani
sprayillani
ablative
sprayltani
sprayiltani
allative
spraylleni
sprayilleni
essive
spraynani
sprayinani
translative
spraykseni
sprayikseni
abessive
sprayttani
sprayittani
instructive
comitative
—sprayineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraysi
spraysi
accusative
nom.
spraysi
spraysi
gen.
spraysi
genitive
spraysi
sprayidesi sprayittesi
partitive
spraytasi
sprayitasi
inessive
sprayssasi
sprayissasi
elative
spraystasi
sprayistasi
illative
sprayhisi sprayhysi
sprayihisi
adessive
sprayllasi
sprayillasi
ablative
sprayltasi
sprayiltasi
allative
sprayllesi
sprayillesi
essive
spraynasi
sprayinasi
translative
sprayksesi
sprayiksesi
abessive
sprayttasi
sprayittasi
instructive
comitative
—sprayinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraymme
spraymme
accusative
nom.
spraymme
spraymme
gen.
spraymme
genitive
spraymme
sprayidemme sprayittemme
partitive
spraytamme
sprayitamme
inessive
sprayssamme
sprayissamme
elative
spraystamme
sprayistamme
illative
sprayhimme sprayhymme
sprayihimme
adessive
sprayllamme
sprayillamme
ablative
sprayltamme
sprayiltamme
allative
sprayllemme
sprayillemme
essive
spraynamme
sprayinamme
translative
sprayksemme
sprayiksemme
abessive
sprayttamme
sprayittamme
instructive
comitative
—sprayinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraynne
spraynne
accusative
nom.
spraynne
spraynne
gen.
spraynne
genitive
spraynne
sprayidenne sprayittenne
partitive
spraytanne
sprayitanne
inessive
sprayssanne
sprayissanne
elative
spraystanne
sprayistanne
illative
sprayhinne sprayhynne
sprayihinne
adessive
sprayllanne
sprayillanne
ablative
sprayltanne
sprayiltanne
allative
sprayllenne
sprayillenne
essive
spraynanne
sprayinanne
translative
sprayksenne
sprayiksenne
abessive
sprayttanne
sprayittanne
instructive
comitative
—sprayinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraynsa
spraynsa
accusative
nom.
spraynsa
spraynsa
gen.
spraynsa
genitive
spraynsa
sprayidensa sprayittensa
partitive
spraytaan spraytansa
sprayitaan sprayitansa
inessive
sprayssaan sprayssansa
sprayissaan sprayissansa
elative
spraystaan spraystansa
sprayistaan sprayistansa
illative
sprayhinsa sprayhynsa
sprayihinsa
adessive
sprayllaan sprayllansa
sprayillaan sprayillansa
ablative
sprayltaan sprayltansa
sprayiltaan sprayiltansa
allative
spraylleen sprayllensa
sprayilleen sprayillensa
essive
spraynaan spraynansa
sprayinaan sprayinansa
translative
spraykseen sprayksensa
sprayikseen sprayiksensa
abessive
sprayttaan sprayttansa
sprayittaan sprayittansa
instructive
comitative
—sprayineen sprayinensa :
Possessive forms of spray (Kotus type 21/rosé, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
sprayni
sprayni
accusative
nom.
sprayni
sprayni
gen.
sprayni
genitive
sprayni
sprayideni sprayitteni
partitive
spraytäni
sprayitäni
inessive
sprayssäni
sprayissäni
elative
spraystäni
sprayistäni
illative
sprayhini sprayhyni
sprayihini
adessive
spraylläni
sprayilläni
ablative
sprayltäni
sprayiltäni
allative
spraylleni
sprayilleni
essive
spraynäni
sprayinäni
translative
spraykseni
sprayikseni
abessive
sprayttäni
sprayittäni
instructive
comitative
—sprayineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraysi
spraysi
accusative
nom.
spraysi
spraysi
gen.
spraysi
genitive
spraysi
sprayidesi sprayittesi
partitive
spraytäsi
sprayitäsi
inessive
sprayssäsi
sprayissäsi
elative
spraystäsi
sprayistäsi
illative
sprayhisi sprayhysi
sprayihisi
adessive
spraylläsi
sprayilläsi
ablative
sprayltäsi
sprayiltäsi
allative
sprayllesi
sprayillesi
essive
spraynäsi
sprayinäsi
translative
sprayksesi
sprayiksesi
abessive
sprayttäsi
sprayittäsi
instructive
comitative
—sprayinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraymme
spraymme
accusative
nom.
spraymme
spraymme
gen.
spraymme
genitive
spraymme
sprayidemme sprayittemme
partitive
spraytämme
sprayitämme
inessive
sprayssämme
sprayissämme
elative
spraystämme
sprayistämme
illative
sprayhimme sprayhymme
sprayihimme
adessive
sprayllämme
sprayillämme
ablative
sprayltämme
sprayiltämme
allative
sprayllemme
sprayillemme
essive
spraynämme
sprayinämme
translative
sprayksemme
sprayiksemme
abessive
sprayttämme
sprayittämme
instructive
comitative
—sprayinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraynne
spraynne
accusative
nom.
spraynne
spraynne
gen.
spraynne
genitive
spraynne
sprayidenne sprayittenne
partitive
spraytänne
sprayitänne
inessive
sprayssänne
sprayissänne
elative
spraystänne
sprayistänne
illative
sprayhinne sprayhynne
sprayihinne
adessive
sprayllänne
sprayillänne
ablative
sprayltänne
sprayiltänne
allative
sprayllenne
sprayillenne
essive
spraynänne
sprayinänne
translative
sprayksenne
sprayiksenne
abessive
sprayttänne
sprayittänne
instructive
comitative
—sprayinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
spraynsä
spraynsä
accusative
nom.
spraynsä
spraynsä
gen.
spraynsä
genitive
spraynsä
sprayidensä sprayittensä
partitive
spraytään spraytänsä
sprayitään sprayitänsä
inessive
sprayssään sprayssänsä
sprayissään sprayissänsä
elative
spraystään spraystänsä
sprayistään sprayistänsä
illative
sprayhinsä sprayhynsä
sprayihinsä
adessive
sprayllään sprayllänsä
sprayillään sprayillänsä
ablative
sprayltään sprayltänsä
sprayiltään sprayiltänsä
allative
spraylleen sprayllensä
sprayilleen sprayillensä
essive
spraynään spraynänsä
sprayinään sprayinänsä
translative
spraykseen sprayksensä
sprayikseen sprayiksensä
abessive
sprayttään sprayttänsä
sprayittään sprayittänsä
instructive
comitative
—sprayineen sprayinensä :

#### Synonyms

* suihke
* suihkepullo

#### Derived terms

* spreijata
* jalkaspray
* spraydeodorantti
* spraymaalata
* spraymaali
* spraypullo
* spraytölkki

### Further reading

* “spray”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-03

## French
### Noun

spray m (plural sprays)
* spray can

## Hungarian
### Alternative forms

* spré, szpré

### Etymology

From English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈspreː], [ˈspreːj], [ˈʃpreː], [ˈʃpreːj]
* Hyphenation: spray
* Rhymes: -reː, -eːj

### Noun

spray (plural spray-k)
* spray (commercial product dispensed from a container)

#### Derived terms

* lábspray
* orrspray
* szilikonspray

## Middle English
### Alternative forms

* spraye

### Etymology

From Old English *spræġ, sprei (found in place names such as that of Spreyton, England), of unknown origin.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sprɛi̯/

### Noun

spray (plural sprayes)
* branch, shoot, or twig of a tree

#### Descendants

* English: spray
* Yola: spraay

#### References

* “sprai, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology 1

From English spray.

#### Noun

spray m (definite singular sprayen, indefinite plural sprayer, definite plural sprayene)
* spray

##### Derived terms

* hårspray
* nesespray
* sprayboks
* spraymaling

##### Related terms

* spraye

### Etymology 2
#### Verb

spray
* imperative of spraye

### References

* “spray” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology

From English spray.

### Noun

spray m (definite singular sprayen, indefinite plural sprayar, definite plural sprayane)
* spray

#### Derived terms

* hårspray
* sprayboks

#### Related terms

* spraye

### References

* “spray” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

## Polish
### Alternative forms

* sprej

### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsprɛj/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɛj
* Syllabification: spray

### Noun

spray m inan
* spray (fine, gentle, dispersed mist of liquid)
* aerosol spray (liquid commercial product sold in a spray container)

#### Derived terms

* sprayować impf

#### Related terms

* spray art

### Further reading

* spray in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Portuguese
### Alternative forms

* (Brazilian pronunciation spelling) esprei

### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /isˈpɾej/ [isˈpɾeɪ̯], /ˈspɾej/ [ˈspɾeɪ̯]
* (Brazil) IPA: /isˈpɾej/ [isˈpɾeɪ̯], /ˈspɾej/ [ˈspɾeɪ̯]
** (Rio de Janeiro) IPA: /iʃˈpɾej/ [iʃˈpɾeɪ̯], /ˈspɾej/ [ˈspɾeɪ̯]
** (Southern Brazil) IPA: /ˈspɾej/ [ˈspɾeɪ̯], /isˈpɾej/ [isˈpɾeɪ̯]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈspɾɐj/
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈspɾɐj/
** (Northern Portugal) IPA: /ˈspɾej/
** (Central Portugal) IPA: /ˈspɾej/
** (Southern Portugal) IPA: /ˈspɾe/

### Noun

spray m (plural sprays)
* spray; atomizer (pressurised container with a nozzle that lets out a spray)
    Synonyms: atomizador, aerossol, pulverizador
* spray (fine, gentle, disperse mist of liquid)
    Synonym: borrifo

## Romanian
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sprej/
* IPA: /ʃprej/ – folk common pronunciation.
* Rhymes: -ej
* Hyphenation: spray

### Noun

spray n (plural sprayuri)
* spray

#### Declension
## Spanish
### Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English spray.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /esˈpɾai/ [esˈpɾai̯]
** Rhymes: -ai
* IPA: /esˈpɾei/ [esˈpɾei̯]
** Rhymes: -ei

### Noun

spray m (plural sprays or spray)
* Alternative form of espray

#### Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

### Further reading

* “spray”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

## Swedish
### Alternative forms

* sprej

### Etymology

Borrowed from English spray. Attested since 1920.

### Noun

spray c
* spray (especially when sprayed from a spray can or spray bottle or the like)

#### Derived terms

* sprayburk (“spray can”)
* sprayflaska (“spray bottle”)

#### Related terms

* spraya

#### See also

* sprut
* spruta

### References

* spray in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* spray in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
* spray in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)