splay

/spleɪ/
adjective
  1. Spread or turned outward; having a wide, flat shape.
    • She wore splay-toed sandals that gave her toes room to move.
    • The splay feet of the table kept it stable on uneven ground.
    • The splay branches of the oak tree shaded the entire yard.
verb
  1. To spread or stretch out, especially in an awkward or ungainly way.
    • He splayed his fingers across the table to show how big the fish was.
    • The cat splayed its legs out on the warm sidewalk.
    • The fallen tree splayed its branches across the road.
  2. To become spread out or turned outward.
    • The dancer's feet splayed naturally in first position.
    • The old chair's legs began to splay after years of use.
    • Her knees splayed outward as she tried to sit cross-legged.
noun
  1. A spreading or outward slant, especially of a surface or structure.
    • The architect designed a splay in the wall to create a wider entrance.
    • The window frame had a slight splay to let in more light.
    • The splay of the roof made the building look larger.
What does "splay" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean