breiðist

Breiðist is a form of the Icelandic verb used to express the spreading or expansion of something, intransitively. In common usage, the phrase breiðist út means that borders, influence, phenomena, or objects spread outward or become more widespread. The construction is widely used for physical spread (such as land or coastline) as well as for abstract spread (such as rumors, diseases, or trends).

In usage, breiðist is most often encountered in present tense constructions with a subject that is capable of extending its reach. The expression breiðist út is versatile and appears in both factual descriptions and journalistic writing. It can describe natural processes, like geographical diffusion, as well as social or informational phenomena.

Etymology and related terms: the verb derives from the same root that gives the Icelandic adjective breitt, meaning broad or wide. It is related to other words describing width and spread in the language, and it appears in many collocations tied to expansion, both literal and figurative.

Examples:

- Veiran breiðist út um landið. (The virus is spreading across the country.)

- Ritúrið breiðist út á netinu. (The rumor spread on the internet.)

- Bergið breiðist út við fjallið. (The rock spread out toward the mountain.)

Breiðist is part of a broader set of Icelandic expressions that describe diffusion and expansion, and it is commonly encountered in science writing, news reporting, and descriptive prose.