splay
splay — adjective
- splaypositive
- splayercomparative
- splayestsuperlative
1. Describes a body part — such as a foot, elbow, or knee — that points away from t
Describes a body part — such as a foot, elbow, or knee — that points away from the body's centre line instead of facing straight forward.
Kofi's splay feet turned outward so much that his shoes wore down on the inner edge.
splay + noun: splay feet
The physiotherapist noticed the toddler's splay knees and recommended special exercises.
attributive use before body-part noun
Her splay elbows stuck out awkwardly as she tried to balance the tray of drinks.
Ducklings have naturally splay legs that straighten as they grow older and stronger.
- turned out
more common in everyday speech, especially in dance or posture ('turned-out feet')
- outward-facing
neutral descriptive term, less specific to body parts
文法句型
attributive use before a noun (splay feet, splay elbows)
用法筆記
Attributive only — placed before a noun, not after a linking verb ('the feet are splay' ❌). The past participle 'splayed' is more common in predicate position.
常見錯誤
2. Clumsy in shape or movement; lacking grace or elegance in form or manner.
Clumsy in shape or movement; lacking grace or elegance in form or manner.
The old wardrobe had a splay, bulky appearance that did not suit the modern room.
His splay, heavy-footed walk shook the floorboards as he crossed the wooden hallway.
The sculpture was criticised for its splay proportions and off-centre balance.
Amara found the puppy's splay, uncoordinated movements endearing rather than awkward.
文法句型
attributive use before a noun
用法筆記
This sense is markedly literary or formal. In everyday conversation, 'clumsy,' 'awkward,' or 'ungainly' are preferred. The word carries a mildly negative or critical tone.
常見錯誤
splay — noun
1. An angled surface cut into the side of a door or window opening, creating a slan
An angled surface cut into the side of a door or window opening, creating a slanted frame that makes the opening appear wider and lets in more light.
The stone splay of the old church window measured nearly a metre on each side.
Haruto designed a wide splay around the front door to brighten the dim hallway.
the + splay + preposition: splay around [an opening]
Restoring the medieval splay required cutting new stone blocks at a precise forty-five-degree angle.
The architect explained how the splay of each window affects the amount of sunlight entering the room.
文法句型
the splay of a [door/window/frame]
用法筆記
Specialist architectural term. Not common in everyday English. Most frequently encountered in descriptions of historic or stone-built buildings.
常見錯誤
2. The action or state of spreading outward; a widening or fanning-out of parts awa
The action or state of spreading outward; a widening or fanning-out of parts away from each other.
The splay of the tree's roots above ground made it hard to mow the lawn underneath.
Nadia admired the graceful splay of the peacock's tail feathers in the afternoon sunlight.
the splay of + noun: describing outward spread
The splay of the river delta created a wide fan of waterways across the plain.
Diego measured the splay of the chair legs to make sure the replacement base would fit.
- narrowing
the opposite of spreading outward
- contraction
the action of drawing inward or becoming smaller
文法句型
the splay of [something]
用法筆記
This sense is abstract — it describes the concept or quality of being spread out, rather than a specific physical object. Often used with 'of' to specify what is spreading.
splay — verb
- splaypresent simple I / you / we / they
- splayshe / she / it
- splayedpast simple
- splaying-ing form
1. To move body parts such as fingers, legs, or wings away from each other so that
To move body parts such as fingers, legs, or wings away from each other so that they are spread wide apart, or to spread something out across a surface.
Mei-Lin splayed her fingers across the piano keys and played the opening chord.
transitive: splay + object + prepositional phrase
The cat splayed its back legs and stretched out on the warm kitchen floor tiles.
Omar splayed the map across the car bonnet so everyone could see the route at once.
The injured bird's wings splayed awkwardly as it tried to lift itself off the ground.
After the heavy rain, the cardboard boxes splayed open and their contents spilled everywhere.
文法句型
splay + object (fingers/legs/wings)
splay + preposition (on/over/across)
splay + adverb (wide/apart/outward)
用法筆記
Common with both a direct object ('splay your fingers') and without ('his legs splayed'). The intransitive use often suggests an accidental or involuntary spreading. Frequently followed by adverbs like 'wide,' 'apart,' or 'outward.'