spread eagle

/'spred'i:gl/

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Explanation of "Spread Eagle"

Definition: The term "spread eagle" can refer to two main things:

Usage Instructions:

• In Skating: You can use "spread eagle" to describe a specific move in figure skating. For example, you might say, "She performed a perfect spread eagle during her routine."

• As an Emblem: When talking about national symbols or emblems, you can refer to the "spread eagle" as part of a discussion about the Great Seal. For example, "The Great Seal of the United States features a spread eagle."

Example Sentences:

1. Skating: "During the competition, he executed a beautiful spread eagle that impressed the judges."
2. Emblem: "The spread eagle on the Great Seal represents the United States' strength and unity."

Advanced Usage:

"Spread eagle" can also be used metaphorically to describe someone being in a vulnerable or exposed position, as if they are laid out like an eagle with its wings extended.

Word Variants:

• Spread-eagle (adjective): This can describe something that has the qualities of the eagle's pose, often used in a metaphorical sense.
• Spread-eagled (verb): The past participle form that can describe someone who has been placed in a vulnerable position.

Different Meanings:

While "spread eagle" primarily has the two meanings above, in a more informal context, it may also refer to someone lying down flat with their arms and legs extended, resembling the position of an eagle.

Synonyms:

• For the skating move: There are not many direct synonyms, but you might say "open stance" or "wide stance."
• For the emblem: You might refer to it as the "national emblem" or "national bird" when discussing its symbolism.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly incorporate "spread eagle," but you can create phrases using "spread" and "eagle" in a metaphorical sense, such as "spread wide open," which suggests openness or vulnerability.

Academic

Noun

1. a skating figure executed with the skates heel to heel in a straight line
2. an emblem (an eagle with wings and legs spread) on the obverse of the Great Seal of the United States