Wide
Pronunciation
- IPA: /waɪd/
- Rhymes: -aɪd
Origin
From Middle English wid, wyd, from Old English wÄ«d ("wide, vast, broad, long; distant, far"), from Proto-Germanic *wÄ«daz, from Proto-Indo-European *wÄ«- ("apart, asunder, in two"), from Proto-Indo-European *weye- ("to drive, separate"). Cognate with Scots wyd, wid ("of great extent; vast"), West Frisian wiid ("broad; wide"), Dutch wijd ("wide; large; broad"), German weit ("far; wide; broad"), Swedish vid ("wide"), Icelandic vÃður ("wide"), Latin dÄ«vidÅ ("separate, sunder"), Latin vÄ«tÅ ("avoid, shun"). Related to widow.
Full definition of wide
Adjective
wide
- Having a large physical extent from side to side.We walked down a wide corridor.
- Large in scope.
- 2013, Fenella Saunders, Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture, 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.
- The inquiry had a wide remit.
- (sports) Operating at the side of the playing area.That team needs a decent wide player.
- On one side or the other of the mark; too far sideways from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.Too bad! That was a great passing-shot, but it's wide.
- SpenserSurely he shoots wide on the bow hand.
- MassingerI was but two bows wide.
- (phonetics, dated) Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open and relaxed, condition of the organs in the mouth.
- Remote; distant; far.
- Hammondthe contrary being so wide from the truth of Scripture and the attributes of God
- (obsolete) Far from truth, propriety, necessity, etc.
- Miltonour wide expositors
- LatimerIt is far wide that the people have such judgments.
- HerbertHow wide is all this long pretence!
- (computing) Of or supporting a greater range of text characters than can fit into the traditional 8-bit representation.a wide character; a wide stream
Antonyms
Related terms
Adverb
wide
- extensivelyHe travelled far and wide.
- completelyHe was wide awake.
- away from a given goalThe arrow fell wide of the mark.
- 2010, December 29, Sam Sheringham, Liverpool 0 - 1 Wolverhampton, The Reds carved the first opening of the second period as Glen Johnson's pull-back found David Ngog but the Frenchman hooked wide from six yards.
- So as to leave or have a great space between the sides; so as to form a large opening.