adjective | adverb
widewide1 /waɪd/ ●●● S2 W1 adjective 1
DISTANCE a)measuring a large distance from one side to the other OPP narrow: a wide necktie The river is very wide. Wreckage was spread across a wide area. b)measuring a particular distance from one side to the other: How wide is the door?five feet/two miles/three inches etc. wide The desk is four feet long and two feet wide.2VARIETY including or involving a large variety of different people, things, or situations: a man with wide experience in businessa wide range/variety/selection etc. (of something) A wide range of software is available.a wide circle of friends/acquaintances (=a large number of friends, etc.)3IN MANY PLACES [usually before noun] happening among many people or in many places: wide support/influence The plan has attracted wide support.4GENERAL [only before noun, usually in the comparative or superlative] general and not involving just one part or paying too much attention to specific details SYN broad: wider issues/view/context etc. We have to consider the student protests in a wider context. The changes will benefit, not only disabled people, but also the wider community.5EYES literary wide eyes are fully open, especially when someone is very surprised, excited, or frightened: Her eyes grew wide in anticipation.6BALL/BULLET ETC. not hitting the point you were aiming at: wide of The throw was wide of first base.7a wide difference/gap/variation etc. a large and noticeable difference: He expects to win the election by a wide margin.8give somebody/something a wide berth to avoid someone or something: Sandie’s been giving her a wide berth since the argument.9the (big) wide world spoken places outside the small familiar place where you live → see also be wide of the mark at mark2 (7), in the whole (wide) world at whole1 (6), widely, width[Origin: Old English wid]WORD CHOICE: wide, broad• Wide is the most usual word to describe something that measures a long distance from one side to another: a wide road/lake/doorway/entrance/staircase You also use wide to express how much something measures from side to side: The gap was only a few inches wide.• Broad is often used about parts of the body: broad shoulders/hips a broad nose/forehead Broad often suggests that something is wide in a good or attractive way: A broad driveway led up to the mansion. adjective | adverb
widewide2 ●●● adverb 1wide open/awake/apart completely open, awake, or apart: The door was wide open when we got here. It was 3 a.m., but I was wide awake. → see also wide-open2opening or spreading as much as possible: open/spread something wide Spiro spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture.3not hitting the point you were aiming at: Wilton hit the ball high and wide.