[broad] adj [ME brood, fr. OE brad; akin to OHG breit broad] (bef. 12c) 1 a: having ample extent from side to side or between limits "~ shoulders" b: having a specified extension from side to side "made the path
10. feet ~"
2: extending far and wide: spacious "the ~ plains" 3 a: open, full "~ daylight" b: plain, obvious "a ~ hint"
4: dialectal esp. in pronunciation
5: marked by lack of restraint, delicacy, or subtlety: a obs: outspoken b: coarse, risque "~ humor"
6. of a vowel: open--used specif. of a pronounced as in father
7. a: liberal, tolerant "~ views" b: widely applicable or applied: general 8: relating to the main or essential points "~ outlines" -- broad.ly adv -- broad.ness n syn broad, wide, deep mean having horizontal extent. broad and wide apply to a surface measured or viewed from side to side "a broad avenue". wide is more common when units of measurement are mentioned "rugs eight feet wide" or applied to unfilled space between limits "a wide doorway". broad is preferred when full horizontal extent is considered "broad shoulders". deep may indicate horizontal extent away from the observer or from a front or peripheral point "a deep cupboard" "deep woods".
[2]broad adv (bef. 12c): in a broad manner: fully [3]broad n (1659) 1 Brit: an expansion of a river--often used in pl.
2. slang: woman