Sentence:  There was no special place for him or his little affairs, and he was forbidden to <WSD>sprawl</WSD> on sofas and explain his ideas about the manufacture of this world and his hopes for the future. <WSD>Sprawling</WSD> was lazy and wore out sofas, and little boys were not expected to talk. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To sit with the limbs spread out.