Bruno smiled, a slow spreading of lips that left his eyes dead as a shark's.

He smiled then, a slow spreading of lips.

Spreading rates vary from very slow spreading (Mariana Trough), a few centimeters per year, to very fast (Lau Basin), 15 cm/year.

Slow coming, slow spreading, but when it arrived, all encompassing.

Both slow and fast spreading attributed to "lower depth".

Two examples are the first-ever mapping and sampling of one of the slowest spreading and remote centres known to date, the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean, and the exploration and study of the Southwest Indian Ridge.

Alex watched Jason; he saw the undisguised fury in the Chameleon's eyes, the tight, rigid set of his mouth, the slow spreading and contraction of his strong fingers.

It was like the slow spreading of a poison.

That night drew to its end, but clouds were now over moon and star, and they knew of the coming of day only by the slow spreading of the thin grey light.