spread eagle Hear it!

spread eagle definition

spread eagle

  1. the figure of an eagle with wings and legs spread, used as an emblem of the U.S.
  2. something suggesting this, as an acrobatic figure in fancy skating
spread-eagle definition

spread·-eagle (spred′ē′gəl)

adjective

  1. having the figure of an eagle with wings and legs spread
  2. ☆ Informal boastful or jingoistic about the U.S.

transitive verb spread-eagled -·gled, spread-eagling -·gling

to stretch out in the form of a spread eagle, as for a flogging

intransitive verb

to perform a spread eagle

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments


Do you have more to add? Sign in to share your linguistic knowledge or observation.

Connect with Facebook