wide

wide¹ W1S1 [waıd] adj

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1¦(distance)¦

2¦(variety)¦

3¦(in many places)¦

4 a wide variation/difference/gap etc

5 the wider context/issues/picture etc

6¦(eyes)¦

7 give somebody/something a wide berth

8¦(not hit something)¦

9 the (big) wide world

10 nationwide/city-wide etc

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[: Old English; Origin: wid]

1.) ¦(DISTANCE)¦

a) measuring a large distance from one side to the other

= ↑broad

≠ ↑narrow

▪ a wide tree-lined road

▪ a hat with a wide brim

wide smile/grin

▪ As he ran toward me, his face broke into a wide grin.

b) measuring a particular distance from one side to the other

▪ How wide is the door?

▪ The boat was nearly as wide as the canal.

five metres/two miles etc wide

▪ The river is more than fifty yards wide.

2.) ¦(VARIETY)¦ [usually before noun]

including or involving a large variety of different people, things, or situations

▪ a man with a wide experience of foreign affairs

▪ Our aim is to bring classical music to a wider audience.

a wide range/variety/choice etc (of sth)

▪ This year's festival includes a wide range of entertainers.

▪ holidays to a wide choice of destinations

3.) ¦(IN MANY PLACES)¦ [usually before noun]

happening among many people or in many places

▪ The radio and newspapers gave the trial wide coverage.

4.) a wide variation/difference/gap etc

a large and noticeable difference

▪ the ever-wider gap between the richest and poorest countries

5.) the wider context/issues/picture etc

the more general features of a situation, rather than the specific details

▪ We hope that by the end of the course students will be able to see their subject in a wider context.

6.) ¦(EYES)¦

literary wide eyes are fully open, especially when someone is very surprised, excited, or frightened

▪ Her eyes grew wide in anticipation.

7.) give sb/sth a wide berth

to avoid someone or something

8.) ¦(NOT HIT SOMETHING)¦

not hitting something you were aiming at

wide of

▪ His shot was just wide of the goal.

9.) the (big) wide world

especially spoken places outside the small familiar place where you live

▪ Soon you'll leave school and go out into the big wide world.

10.) nationwide/city-wide etc

affecting all the people in a nation, city etc

▪ a country-wide revolt against the government

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WORD CHOICE: wide, thick, broad

Wide is used to talk about the distance across something such as a road or river. It is also used to talk about the distance from one side to the other of an object : a doorway two metres wide

Thick is usually used to talk about the distance between the two largest surfaces of an object : The steel doors are four inches thick.

Broad can often be used instead of wide , but it is slightly literary : broad, graceful avenues

Broad is always used with shoulders and back : a big man with broad (NOT wide) shoulders

Wide is used with nouns such as range , variety , and choice to say that something includes a lot of different things.

Broad is used with nouns such as outline , picture , and description to say that a description is general rather than specific.

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wide ²

wide² W3S3 adv

1.) wide open/awake/apart

completely open, awake, or apart

▪ Someone left the back door wide open.

▪ At 2 a.m. I was still wide awake.

▪ Sandy stood with his back to the fire, legs wide apart.

2.) opening or spreading as much as possible

open/spread (sth) wide

▪ Spiro spread his arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

▪ Leonora's eyes opened wide in horror.

▪ The windows had been opened wide and she could feel a slight breeze.

3.) wide open

if a competition, election etc is wide open, it is possible for anyone to succeed

▪ Most experts agree that the election is wide open at this point.

4.) not hitting something you were aiming at, and missing it by a large distance

▪ His throw to first base went wide .

5.) wide of the mark

a) not correct about something, by a large amount

▪ The opinion polls were hopelessly wide of the mark.

b) not hitting something you were aiming at, and missing it by a large distance

▪ One of the bombs fell wide of the mark.

→far and wide at ↑far¹ (11)