This is the 2633rd most frequent German word.
breiten
"Breiten" means "to spread" or "to widen" in English.
In this sentence, 'breiten' is used reflexively as 'breiten sich aus,' indicating the spreading of something across a surface, in this case referring to clouds.
Die Wolken breiten sich über den Himmel aus.
The clouds spread across the sky.
Here 'breiten' is used in an abstract sense, implying expansion or extending the influence to a wider scope.
Er möchte den Einfluss seines Unternehmens breiten.
He wants to broaden the influence of his company.
In this example, 'breiten' describes the physical action of laying something flat or distributing it across a surface, in this instance referring to a cloth.