broad

broad

I

broad¹ S2 W2 /brɔːd $ brɒːd/ adjective1.  WIDE a road, river, or part of someone’s body etc that is broad is wide
   OPP  narrow ⇨ breadth:
    We went along a broad passage.
    He was six feet tall, with broad shoulders.
    six feet/three metres etc broad
    The room is three metres long and two metres broad.
  REGISTER
    In everyday English, people usually say wide rather than broad:
   ▪ a wide river/street/corridor
   ▪ They sell a wide range of bikes.
    Broad, however, is always used when descibing someone's shoulders or back.
2.  INCLUDING A LOT including many different kinds of things or people
   OPP  narrow ⇨ breadth:
    The show aims to reach the broadest possible audience.
    broad range/spectrum
    Students here study a broad range of subjects.
    broad category/field/area etc
    Private pension schemes fall into two broad categories.
    a party which lacks a broad base of political support
    The play is a comedy, in the broadest sense of the word.
3.  GENERAL concerning the main ideas or parts of something rather than all the details:
    The client should understand, in broad terms, the likely cost of the case.
    broad consensus/agreement etc
    The members were in broad agreement.
    broad outline/framework
    I’ll give you a broad outline of the plan.
4.  LARGE AREA covering a large area:
    a broad expanse of water
5.  WAY OF SPEAKING a broad accent clearly shows where you come from
   SYN  strong:
    a broad Scottish accent
6. broad smile/grin a big smile:
    Abby came in with a broad smile on her face.
7. in broad daylight if something, especially a crime, happens in broad daylight, it happens in the daytime and in public:
    The attack happened in broad daylight, in one of the busiest parts of town.
8. broad hint a hint (=suggestion) that is very clear and easy to understand:
    In June he gave a broad hint that he might retire.
9. a broad church British English an organization that contains a wide range of opinions:
    The Labour Party has to be a broad church.
10.  HUMOUR broad humour is rather rude or concerned with sex
11. broad in the beam informal having large or fat hips
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ broad + NOUN
   ▪ a broad range Sport is a part of a broad range of activities that we call leisure.
   ▪ a broad spectrum (=range) Among the public there is a broad spectrum of opinion.
   ▪ a broad category Our range of programmes fall into three broad categories.
   ▪ a broad area/field (=including a lot of different things) Psychobiology is a broad area covering many different topics.
   ▪ a broad cross-section (=a varied group that is typical of a larger varied group) We offer entertainment to appeal to a broad cross-section of people.
   ▪ a broad base The course is designed to provide a broad base for students looking to work in IT.
   ▪ a broad alliance/coalition The government was a broad alliance of eight political parties.
   ▪ a broad curriculum (=one that includes a range of subjects) Students are encouraged to follow a broad curriculum in the first year.
   ▪ have broad appeal (=be attractive to many different types of people) Their music has a very broad appeal.

II

broad² noun [countable] American English spoken not polite
an offensive word for a woman