# wide

Pronunciation: US/UK say "WYD" /waɪd/; AUS say "WAHD" /wɑed/

## Adjective

1. Measuring a large distance from one side to the other; also, extending over a great area; vast.
   - Simple: Large from one side to the other, or spreading over a big area.
   - _The hallway was wide enough for two carts to pass at once._
   - _A wide gap separated the two rock faces._
2. Covering a large range of subjects, areas, or concerns.
   - Simple: Covering many different things, areas, or topics.
   - _The report addressed a wide variety of social issues._
   - _His interests are remarkably wide, from physics to poetry._
6. Positioned or operating at the side of the playing area rather than the center.
   - Simple: In sports, playing near the side edge of the field.
   - _The winger stayed wide to stretch the defense._
   - _Playing wide gave him room to cross the ball._
8. Of a shot, throw, or delivery, passing too far to one side of the mark, especially of the wicket or batter in cricket.
   - Simple: Going too far to one side of the target, such as a cricket ball the batter cannot reach.
   - _The bowler's line was too wide for the batter to reach._
   - _Several balls were wide of the off stump._
10. Overweight or obese, used mockingly or as a joke. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Fat or overweight, used in a rude, joking way.
   - _His old teammates teased him for getting wide around the middle._
   - _She laughed that the bulky sweater made her look wide._

## Adverb

3. So as to leave a large space between the sides, or to form a big opening.
   - Simple: In a way that leaves a big open space or gap.
   - _The children flung the doors wide and ran outside._
   - _He spread his arms wide to catch the falling box._
4. Over a large area or to many places; extensively.
   - Simple: Over a large area or in many places.
   - _Traders carried the spice far and wide along the coast._
   - _Fans came from far and wide to watch the final game._
7. Completely or fully.
   - Simple: All the way, or totally, as when someone is fully awake.
   - _The toddler was wide awake and full of energy at dawn._
   - _With three strong candidates and no clear favorite, the election is wide open._
5. Away from or to one side of a target, so as to miss it.
   - Simple: Off to one side of a target, so as to miss it.
   - _The striker's shot sailed wide of the right post._
   - _Her throw went wide, landing well left of the basket._

## Noun

9. In cricket, a delivery passing too far from the batter to be playable; also the umpire's signal for it and the extra run it adds to the score.
   - Simple: In cricket, a ball bowled too far to one side to be hit, giving the batting team an extra run.
   - _The umpire signaled a wide as the ball sped past the leg side._
   - _Extra wides pushed the total beyond two hundred._

## Adjective

11. Of a vowel, produced with a less tense, more open and relaxed position of the mouth. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Of a vowel, made with the mouth more open and relaxed.
12. Located some distance away; far or distant. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Far away in distance.
13. Far from the truth, what is proper, or what is necessary. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Far from what is true, right, or needed.

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Supporting a larger set of text characters than the traditional 8-bit representation could hold.
- (adjective) Sharp-witted; clever and quick-thinking.

## Origin

From Middle English wid, from Old English wīd ("wide, vast, broad; distant, far"), from Proto-Germanic *wīdaz and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to separate, divide." It is related to German weit and Dutch wijd, and connected to the word widow.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/wide (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).