wide

Everyday

1. Wide means far from one side to the other. tree →
2. Wide tells how far across something is, as in «3 feet wide». tree →
3. Wide means covering many things, as in «a wide choice». tree →
4. Wide (adverb) means fully or far, as in «wide open», «wide awake». tree →

In the lessons

a length across, used for rectangles: so many feet wide and so many long; in everyday life, wide roads, rivers and doors; phrases «wide open», «wide awake», «far and wide», «worldwide», «width»

Examples

• The garden is 10 feet wide and 20 feet long. tree →
• How wide is the room? tree →
• The road is 30 feet wide. tree →
• Find the area of a field 8 yards wide and 12 long. tree →
• The river is too wide to swim across. tree →
• She opened her eyes wide. tree →
• The baby was wide awake at midnight. tree →
• The shop has a wide choice of books. tree →
• The door was wide open. tree →
• People came from far and wide to see the show. tree →
• They stopped in a wide courtyard. tree →

Note

A measure of length across. Wide × long gives area; 2 × (wide + long) gives the distance around. Trap: read whether the question asks for area or perimeter. The noun is «width». The opposite is «narrow».

In Jewish tradition

a length across, used for rectangles: so many feet wide and so many long; in everyday life, wide roads, rivers and doors; phrases «wide open», «wide awake», «far and wide», «worldwide», «width»

Examples

• All our enemies have opened their mouth wide against us. (Writings LAM.3.46, JPS 1917) tree →
• Against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? (Prophets ISA.57.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• I opened wide my mouth, and panted; for I longed for Thy commandments. (Writings PSA.119.131, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A measure of length across. Wide × long gives area; 2 × (wide + long) gives the distance around. Trap: read whether the question asks for area or perimeter. The noun is «width». The opposite is «narrow».