— broadish , adj. — broadly , adv.
/brawd/ , adj., broader, broadest , adv. , n.
adj.
1. of great breadth: The river was too broad to swim across.
2. measured from side to side: The desk was three feet broad.
3. of great extent; large: the broad expanse of ocean.
4. widely diffused; open; full: We awoke to broad daylight.
5. not limited or narrow; of extensive range or scope: A modern doctor must have a broad knowledge of medicine.
6. liberal; tolerant: A broad interpretation of the law tempers justice with mercy.
7. main or general: the broad outlines of a subject.
8. plain or clear: Her remark was a broad hint of her feelings.
9. bold; plain-spoken.
10. indelicate; indecent: He smirked at the broad joke.
11. (of conversation) rough; countrified.
12. unconfined; free; unrestrained: It was a hilarious evening of broad mirth.
13. (of pronunciation) strongly dialectal: He wore kilts and had a broad Scots accent.
14. Phonet. (of a transcription) using one basic symbol to represent each phoneme.
15. broad a , the a- sound /ah/ when used in lieu of the more common a- sound /a/ in such words as half, can't, and laugh.
16. broad on the beam , Naut. bearing 90° to the heading of a vessel.
17. broad on the bow , Naut. bearing 45° to the heading of a vessel.
18. broad on the quarter , Naut. bearing 135° to the heading of a vessel.
adv.
19. fully: He was broad awake.
n.
20. the broad part of anything.
21. Slang.
a. Usually Offensive. a woman.
b. a promiscuous woman.
22. Often, broads . Motion Pictures, Television. an incandescent or fluorescent lamp used as a general source of light in a studio.
23. a gold coin of England and Scotland, issued by James I and Charles I and equal to 20 shillings. Cf. carolus, jacobus .
[ bef. 1000; ME bro ( o ) d, OE brad; c. D breed, G breit, ON breithr, Goth braiths ]
Syn. 1. See wide. 3. extensive, ample, vast. 5. liberal, open. 10. gross.
Ant. 1. narrow.