spreadeagled (spread-eagled)
adjective

- someone who is spreadeagled is lying with their arms and legs spread out

Collins Dictionary

—
ORIGIN

The word “eagle” is mid-14c., from Old French 'egle', from Old Provençal aigla, from Latin 'aquila'.

“Spread-eagle” literally “splayed eagle,” is a heraldic term from the 1560s. The symbol is common on signs and flags - and is on the seal of the United States.

—
EDDIE THE EAGLE

Michael Edwards (born 5th December 1963), known as “Eddie the Eagle”, is an English ski-jumper and Olympian who in 1988 became the first competitor since 1928 to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski-jumping, finishing last in the 70m and 90m events.  He held the British ski-jumping record from 1988 to 2001.

Edwards’ lack of success endeared him to people around the world. He subsequently became a media celebrity, appearing on talk shows around the world and in a number of advertising campaigns where he commanded fees of £10,000 an hour. Nevertheless, he declared bankruptcy in 1992, claiming that a trust fund for his earnings was not set up properly.

In 2003, he graduated from De Montfort University in Leicester with a degree in law. “I’ve been interested in law since taking out a civil action against my trustees 10 years ago,” he said in a 2001 interview.

Sources:
“Biography” Eddie the Eagle Official Site
“Eddie aims to be legal eagle” - BBC News

—
SYNONYMS

face down, (flat) on one’s back/face/stomach, lying flat, procumbent, prone, prostrate, sprawling, SPREADEAGLED, supine, recumbent

—
PRACTICE OWAD in an English conversation, discuss something like:

“A photo of a drunken Duncan SPREADEAGLED on the grass has been posted on Facebook. I hope his boss doesn’t see it.”

—
HERZLICHEN DANK to all readers helping me keep OWAD alive with single or monthly donations at:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-3

Paul Smith