Definition Definition

wide - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'wide' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Wide [ adv.]
- To a distance; far; widely; to a great distance or extent; as, his fame was spread wide.
- So as to leave or have a great space between the sides; so as to form a large opening.
- So as to be or strike far from, or on one side of, an object or purpose; aside; astray.
2 . Wide [ n.]
- That which is wide; wide space; width; extent.
- That which goes wide, or to one side of the mark.
3 . Wide [ superl.]
- Having considerable distance or extent between the sides; spacious across; much extended in a direction at right angles to that of length; not narrow; broad; as, wide cloth; a wide table; a wide highway; a wide bed; a wide hall or entry.
- Having a great extent every way; extended; spacious; broad; vast; extensive; as, a wide plain; the wide ocean; a wide difference.
- Of large scope; comprehensive; liberal; broad; as, wide views; a wide understanding.
- Of a certain measure between the sides; measuring in a direction at right angles to that of length; as, a table three feet wide.
- Remote; distant; far.
- Far from truth, from propriety, from necessity, or the like.
- On one side or the other of the mark; too far side-wise from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.
- Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the mouth organs; -- opposed to primary as used by Mr. Bell, and to narrow as used by Mr. Sweet. The effect, as explained by Mr. Bell, is due to the relaxation or tension of the pharynx; as explained by Mr. Sweet and others, it is due to the action of the tongue. The wide of / (/ve) is / (/ll); of a (ate) is / (/nd), etc. See Guide to Pronunciation, / 13-15.

Meaning of 'wide' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . wide [ a]
Meaning (1):
- having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
Example in sentence:
  • a broad river;
  • a river two miles broad;
  • a wide necktie;
  • broad shoulders;
  • three feet wide;
  • wide margins;
  • wide roads
Meaning (2):
- great in degree
Example in sentence:
  • won by a wide margin
3 . wide [ r]
Meaning (3):
- far from the intended target
Example in sentence:
  • a bullet went astray and killed a bystander;
  • the arrow went wide of the mark
Meaning (4):
- to or over a great extent or range; far
Example in sentence:
  • he traveled widely;
  • wandered wide through many lands
Meaning (5):
- to the fullest extent possible
Example in sentence:
  • open your eyes wide;
  • with the throttle wide open
Meaning (6):
- with or by a broad space
Example in sentence:
  • ran wide around left end;
  • stand with legs wide apart
7 . wide [ s]
Meaning (7):
- very large in expanse or scope
Example in sentence:
  • a broad lawn;
  • a spacious view;
  • spacious skies;
  • the wide plains
Meaning (8):
- not on target
Example in sentence:
  • a claim that was wide of the truth;
  • the arrow was wide of the mark;
  • the kick was wide
Meaning (9):
- having ample fabric
Example in sentence:
  • a full skirt;
  • the current taste for wide trousers
Meaning (10):
- broad in scope or content
Example in sentence:
  • a panoptic study of Soviet nationality;
  • across-the-board pay increases;
  • an all-embracing definition;
  • an invention with broad applications;
  • blanket sanctions against human-rights violators;
  • granted him wide powers
Meaning (11):
- (used of eyes) fully open or extended
Example in sentence:
  • stared with wide eyes