Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Having a great distance from one side to the other; broad: "wide" describes something with a large measurement from side to side.
   • Of great extent or scope; extensive: "wide" can refer to something that covers a large area or includes a broad range.
   • Fully open or expanded: Used to describe eyes or other things that are opened to their full extent.
   • Far from a target or point; not accurate: "wide" indicates that something is not on target or is far from the truth.

2. Adverb:

   • Over a large area; extensively: "wide" describes an action done to a great extent or range.
   • To the full extent; fully: "wide" means completely open or expanded.
   • Far from the intended target; astray: "wide" indicates that something missed its target by a considerable margin.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The river is very wide here. (The river has a great breadth at this point.)
  • She has a wide knowledge of history. (Her knowledge covers a broad scope of historical topics.)
  • He stared at me with wide eyes. (He looked at me with his eyes fully open.)
  • His guess was wide of the mark. (His guess was incorrect/far from the correct answer.)

• Adverb:

  • The news spread wide. (The news was disseminated over a large area.)
  • Open your mouth wide. (Open your mouth fully.)
  • The shot went wide. (The shot missed the target by a significant distance.)

Advanced Usage

• "wide of the mark": Incorrect; not accurate or true.

  • Your criticism is wide of the mark. (Your criticism is not accurate or fair.)

• "far and wide": Over a large area; everywhere.

  • They searched far and wide for the missing book. (They searched extensively in many places.)

• "give a wide berth to": To avoid someone or something by keeping a considerable distance.

  • I give a wide berth to that street at night. (I make sure to avoid that street at night.)

Variants and Related Words

• Widen (verb): To make or become wider.

  • The city plans to widen the road. (The city intends to make the road broader.)

• Widely (adverb): Over a wide area or range; by many people.

  • This theory is widely accepted. (This theory is accepted by many people across a broad field.)

• Width (noun): The measurement or extent of something from side to side.

  • What is the width of the table? (What is the side-to-side measurement of the table?)

Synonyms

• Broad: Having a large distance from side to side.
• Expansive: Covering a wide area in terms of space or scope.
• Extensive: Large in amount, area, or range.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wide open: Fully open; exposed or vulnerable.
  • The window was left wide open. (The window was left completely open.)
  • The championship is wide open this year. (The competition is very open; any team could win.)

Related Idioms

• Cast a wide net: To consider or include many different possibilities or people.

  • When hiring, it's good to cast a wide net. (It's good to consider many applicants.)

• The wide world: The world in general, especially as a place full of opportunities or experiences.

  • He's ready to explore the wide world. (He is ready to go out and experience the world.)

Adjective

1. not on target
   • the kick was wide
   • the arrow was wide of the mark
   • a claim that was wide of the truth
2. having ample fabric
   • the current taste for wide trousers
   • a full skirt
3. great in degree
   • won by a wide margin
4. very large in expanse or scope
   • a broad lawn
   • the wide plains
   • a spacious view
   • spacious skies
5. (used of eyes) fully open or extended
   • stared with wide eyes
6. broad in scope or content
   • across-the-board pay increases
   • an all-embracing definition
   • blanket sanctions against human-rights violators
   • an invention with broad applications
   • a panoptic study of Soviet nationality- T.G.Winner
   • granted him wide powers
7. having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
   • wide roads
   • a wide necktie
   • wide margins
   • three feet wide
   • a river two miles broad
   • broad shoulders
   • a broad river

Adverb

1. to or over a great extent or range; far
   • wandered wide through many lands
   • he traveled widely
2. far from the intended target
   • the arrow went wide of the mark
   • a bullet went astray and killed a bystander
3. to the fullest extent possible
   • open your eyes wide
   • with the throttle wide open
4. with or by a broad space
   • stand with legs wide apart
   • ran wide around left end