spree
B2Informal, Journalistic, Colloquial
Definition
Meaning
a short period of intense, often excessive, activity of a particular kind.
An unrestrained bout of indulgent or impulsive behaviour, typically involving spending, drinking, or celebrating, characterised by a lack of control and high energy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always implies a burst of activity, often with negative connotations of excess or lack of restraint. Usually modified by a noun indicating the type of activity (e.g., shopping, killing, spending).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. The word is equally common in both varieties. The phrase 'on a spree' is standard in both.
Connotations
Identical connotations of excess and temporary indulgence.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in news media and colloquial speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[go/be] on a [noun] spree[noun] spreea spree of [noun]a [noun] spree that lasted [time period]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On a spree”
- “Go on a spree”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in financial news to describe periods of aggressive corporate acquisitions or high consumer spending (e.g., 'a merger spree').
Academic
Rare; used informally or in sociological/criminological contexts (e.g., 'analysing the motives behind a shooting spree').
Everyday
Common for discussing shopping, eating, or celebrating, often humorously or critically (e.g., 'I went on a spree at the sales').
Technical
Not used in formal technical writing.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The football team spreed their way to a 5-0 victory in the second half.
- After the win, they spreed around town celebrating.
American English
- The company spreed through the market, acquiring three startups in a month.
- He spreed his bonus money on a new guitar and amp.
adverb
British English
- They shopped spree-like through the department store.
- He spent his money spree-fully and without care.
American English
- They celebrated spree-style all night long.
- The acquisitions were made spree-fast, without due diligence.
adjective
British English
- The spree shoppers filled the high street.
- It was a spree-like atmosphere in the casino.
American English
- The town was in a spree mood after the championship.
- Her spree spending left her bank account empty.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She went on a shopping spree.
- They ate ice cream on a spree.
- After getting his first salary, he went on a spending spree.
- The news reported a spree of burglaries in our neighbourhood.
- The company embarked on a hiring spree to meet its new targets.
- Critics blamed loose regulations for the bank's reckless lending spree.
- The film portrays the protagonist's drug-fuelled spree of self-destruction across the city.
- The hedge fund's acquisition spree was ultimately its undoing, leaving it over-leveraged and vulnerable.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SPRinter running at high speed for a short REE (period) – a short, fast, intense burst of activity.
Conceptual Metaphor
EXCESS IS A JOURNEY ('go on a spree'), LACK OF CONTROL IS A FORCE ('a spree of violence').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate as 'спри' or 'сприй'. Avoid using 'разгул' for all contexts; it is much stronger and often implies moral decay. 'Запой' is only for drinking. 'Купля' or 'шопинг' are not equivalent nouns. The closest neutral phrase is 'несколько дней (чего-то)', e.g., 'несколько дней безумных покупок'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'spree' for a long, planned activity (e.g., 'a spree of studying for the exam' – incorrect). Using without a modifier (e.g., 'He went on a spree' is acceptable but vague; better: 'a shopping spree'). Confusing with 'binge', which is more specific to consumption (food, media).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely collocation with 'spree'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it often implies a lack of control. A 'shopping spree' can be framed as fun or regrettable. Context determines the connotation.
Informally, yes (e.g., 'to spree through the shops'), but it is much less common than the noun form and is considered non-standard by some dictionaries.
A 'binge' strongly implies excessive consumption (of food, drink, TV) often in one sitting. A 'spree' implies a period of intense activity (shopping, killing, spending) that may involve movement or multiple actions.
Yes, it's a standard collocation in journalism for a series of crimes committed in a short period by the same person/group.
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