🌏 Large or broad ↔️ To a great extent 🎯 Not on target 🏏 A missed ball

wide

1 9.1

A cricket ball bowled too far from the player to hit, giving an extra run

noun

: bola ancha

In cricket, a wide is when the ball is bowled too far from the batsman to hit.
five wides
four wides
three wides

Examples

The bowler delivered a wide that allowed the batting team to score an extra run.
After the ball was called a wide, the batting team celebrated the unexpected run.
And make no mistake, there has been no evidence of any significant wides or widespread voter fraud.

2000 Mules (2022)
ACE: Field Goal Sails Wide, Dolphins Lose Super Bowl.

Fiction book (1994)
When they're three and four wides, we'll use five and six DBs the majority of the time," Stoops said.

Blog text (20)

Idioms

far and wide

28 2.6

In many places across a large area

eyes wide open

Informal

21 4.3

To act while fully aware of possible risks

a wide berth

Informal

7 4.8

A safe distance you keep from someone or something to avoid trouble

wide of the mark

1 7.1

Not accurate or correct

to cut a wide swath

Informal

1 7.7

Have a strong effect on many people or things

Compounds

wide open

142 2.3

Completely open and available with nothing stopping access

world-wide

127 2.3

Happening in many countries around the world

wide-open

102 1.1

Completely open with nothing closed or covering it

wide-eyed

38 3.4

A person who has eyes open wide because they feel surprised or full of wonder

wide awake

29 2.7

Completely alert and not at all sleepy

World Wide Web

Texting

26 2.3

A way to view and link pages on the Internet using a web browser

wide-angle

Specialized

15 4.3

A lens or camera shot that shows more of a scene than usual

system-wide

8 4.6

Affecting every part of a system, not just one part

wide screen

8 2.7

A screen much wider than it is tall for movies and presentations

wide-screen

7 3.6

A screen or picture that is much wider than it is tall, like modern TVs

wide selection

6 1.7

A large variety of things to choose from

wide-angle lens

Specialized

6 4.0

A camera lens that shows more of a scene, makes near objects look bigger, and stretches edges

industry-wide

4 3.6

Affecting all companies in the same industry

company-wide

4 3.4

Affecting every part of a company

wide-awake

3 2.5

Not feeling sleepy and able to think clearly

wide stance

3 2.8

A position with feet far apart to improve balance

district-wide

3 3.5

Happening in all parts of a district

wide-open

2 4.3

Not strictly controlled, so illegal things can happen

wide-body

Specialized

2 3.9

A large passenger plane with two aisles and a wide cabin

community-wide

2 3.3

Affecting all people in a community

league-wide

2 4.1

Affecting all teams or members in a league

area-wide

1 4.1

Affecting all parts of a town, city, or region

wide spot

1 3.8

A place at the side of a road where cars can stop briefly

wide area network

Specialized

1 3.3

A system that links groups of computers in different cities or countries

wide blue yonder

Literature

1 7.4

A very large open sky that seems to invite travel or adventure

wide spot in the road

1 6.8

A wider part of a road where cars can pull over

wide wale

Specialized

1 8.1

A thick fabric with wide raised lines

wide-body aircraft

Specialized

1 3.9

A large passenger plane with two aisles that carries many people

wide-cut

1 3.7

Clothing made wider than usual to fit loosely

Surface Forms

wide singular

wides plural

Etymology

Wide as a cricket term comes from the old German root wīd meaning 'far' or 'broad'. A 'wide' ball is one bowled too far from the batsman to hit, so the word wide describes that distance and gives the batting side an extra run.