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Dictionary

broad

Pronunciation: (brôd), [key]
—adj., -er, -est,
—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-soundPronunciation: (ä) [key]when used in lieu of the more common a-soundPronunciation: (a) [key]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.
fully: He was broad awake.

—n.
1. the broad part of anything.
2. Slang.
a. Usually Offensive.a woman.
b. a promiscuous woman.
3. Often, broads. Motion Pictures, Television.an incandescent or fluorescent lamp used as a general source of light in a studio.
4. a gold coin of England and Scotland, issued by James I and Charles I and equal to 20 shillings. Cf. carolus, jacobus.