arean.[L. area a broad piece of level ground. Cf. Are, n.]1. Any plane surface, as of the floor of a room or church, or of the ground within an inclosure; an open space in a building.()The Alban lake . . . looks like the area of some vast amphitheater. (Addison.)2. The inclosed space on which a building stands.()3. The sunken space or court, giving ingress and affording light to the basement of a building.()4. An extent of surface; a tract of the earth's surface; a region; as, vast uncultivated areas.()5. (Geom.) The superficial contents of any figure; the surface included within any given lines; superficial extent; as, the area of a square or a triangle.()6. (Biol.) A spot or small marked space; as, the germinative area.()7. Extent; scope; range; as, a wide area of thought.()The largest area of human history and man's common nature. (F. Harrison.)Dry area. See under Dry.()v. t.[OE. areden, AS. rdan to interpret. See Read.]1. To tell, declare, explain, or interpret; to divine; to guess; as, to aread a riddle or a dream.()Therefore more plain aread this doubtful case. (Spenser.)2. To read.(Drayton.)3. To counsel, advise, warn, or direct.()But mark what I aread thee now. Avaunt! (Milton.)4. To decree; to adjudge.(Ld. Lytton.)