wide
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /waɪd/
ipa: /wɑed/
rhymes: -aɪd
Forms: form: wider
form: more wide
form: widest
form: most wide
Etymology: PIE word
 *dwóh₁
From Middle English wid, wyd, from Old English wīd (“wide, vast, broad, long; distant, far”), from Proto-Germanic *wīdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weydʰh₁- (“to separate, divide”), a dissimilated univerbation from *dwi- (“apart, asunder, in two”) + *dʰeh₁- (“to do, put, place”).
Cognate with Scots wyd, wid (“of great extent; vast”), West Frisian wiid (“broad; wide”), Dutch wijd (“wide; large; broad”), German weit (“far; wide; broad”), Danish vid (“wide”), Swedish vid (“wide”), Icelandic víður (“wide”), Latin dīvidō (“separate, sunder”), Latin vītō (“avoid, shun”). Related to widow.
Senses: examples: text: We walked down a wide corridor.
text: Over a wider region either side of the path of totality, a partial eclipse is seen.
ref: 1993, Jacqueline Mitton, The Penguin Dictionary of Astronomy, 2nd edition (paperback), Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 127:
text: Former Vice President Joe Biden's lead in the race for the Democratic nomination for president has rebounded, and now stands at its widest margin since April, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
ref: 2019 October 23, Jennifer Ageista, “CNN Poll: Biden's lead in Democratic primary hits widest margin since April”, in CNN:
glosses: Having a large physical extent from side to side.
examples: text: The inquiry had a wide remit.
text: The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.
ref: 2013 July-August, Fenella Saunders, “Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 05 Sep 2015:
text: Three-way girls offered the widest array of services. One twenty-two-year-old prostitute declared to an undercover vice investigator in New York City, "I am a three-way girl."
ref: 2014, Jessica R. Pliley, Policing Sexuality, page 192:
text: Lizzo, who is known for messages of self-love and wider acceptance, has recently said as much as she shared that she is encouraging a stance of body neutrality for herself and others.
ref: 2023 May 29, Madeline Holcombe, “Lizzo is teaching us about body neutrality. Here is what it means and how to get there”, in CNN:
glosses: Large in scope.
glosses: Overweight, obese.
examples: text: That team needs a decent wide player.
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Operating at the side of the playing area.
examples: text: Two balls before lunch, he bowled a wide.
text: Too bad! That was a great passing-shot, but it's wide.
text: Surely he shoots wide on the Bow-Hand.
ref: 1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […] (Ancient Irish Histories), Dublin: […] Society of Stationers, […] Hibernia Press, […] [b]y John Morrison, 1809, →OCLC:
text: I was but two bows wide.
ref: 1656, Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, Philip Massinger, The Old Law:
glosses: On one side or the other of the mark; too far sideways from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonetics
phonology
sciences
glosses: Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the organs in the mouth.
examples: text: The wide, lifeless expanse.
glosses: Vast, great in extent, extensive.
examples: text: Mr Hunt's house, you know, lies wide from Harlowe-place.
ref: 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXXXI”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC:
text: the contrary [being] so wide from the truth of Scripture and the attributes of God
ref: 1654, H[enry] Hammond, Of Fundamentals in a Notion Referring to Practise, London: […] J[ames] Flesher for Richard Royston, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Located some distance away; distant, far.
examples: text: And I trust anon by the help of an infallible guide, to perfect such Prutenic tables, as shall mend the astronomy of our wide expositors.
ref: 1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
text: But I tell you, it is farre wyde, that the people haue ſuche iudgmentes, the Byſhoppes they coulde laughe at it.
ref: 1549 April 22 (Gregorian calendar), Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[27 Sermons Preached by the Ryght Reuerende Father in God and Constant Matir of Iesus Christe, Maister Hugh Latimer, […].] The Syxte Sermon of Maister Hugh Latymer, whiche He Preached before K. Edward [VI], the XII. Day of Aprill.”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 75, verso:
text: How wide is all this long pretence!
ref: [1633], George Herbert, edited by [Nicholas Ferrar], The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel; and are to be sold by Francis Green, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Far from truth, propriety, necessity, etc.
examples: text: a wide character; a wide stream
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Of or supporting a greater range of text characters than can fit into the traditional 8-bit representation.
examples: text: But the first visitor to penetrate from the outside world proved to be Sergeant Williams; large and pink and scrubbed-looking; and for a little while Grant forgot about battles long ago and considered wide boys alive today.
ref: 1951, Josephine Tey, The Daughter of Time, page 31:
glosses: Sharp-witted.
raw_tags: in "wide boy"
Synonyms: word: broad
word: thick
word: wide
Hypernyms: word: large
Hyponyms: word: Africa-wide
word: America-wide
word: Asia-wide
word: Europe-wide
word: EU-wide
word: kilometer-wide
word: km-wide
word: meter-wide
word: m-wide
word: nationwide
word: regionwide
word: sitewide
word: space-wide
word: systemwide
word: US-wide
word: worldwide
word: dumpy
word: squat
word: stocky
Derived terms: all wool and a yard wide
a mile wide and an inch deep
blow wide open
by a wide margin
cast one's net far and wide
cast one's net wide
cut a wide swath
cut a wide swathe
en
far and wide
go wide
have someone's nose wide open
into the wide blue yonder
midwide
open wide
paint with a wide brush
spread one's net wide
to the wide
whole wide world
wide-angle
wide-angle converter
wide-angle lens
wide area network
wide-area network
wide-awake
wide awake
wide-awake hat
wide berth
wide-bodied
wide-body
wide boy
wide column store
wide-cut
wide-eyed
wide-field
wide-flung
wide-gab
wide game
wide-handed
wide-handedness
widely
widen
wideness
wide of the mark
wide-on
wide open
wide place in the road
wide-ranging
wide-reaching
wide receiver
widescale
wide-scale
widescreen
wide shot
wide shut
wide spot in the road
widespread
wide-spread
wide stance
wide-wasting
Related terms: width