Broad — Defs

01 a. Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad.

1.
Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad.
2.
Extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as, the broad expanse of ocean.
3.
Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full.
4.
Fig.: Having a large measure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; -- applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive.
“A broad mixture of falsehood.” — Locke.
5.
Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged.
“The words in the Constitution are broad enough to include the case.” — D. Daggett.

“In a broad, statesmanlike, and masterly way.” — E. Everett.
6.
Plain; evident; as, a broad hint.
7.
Free; unrestrained; unconfined.
“As broad and general as the casing air.” — Shak.
8.
Characterized by breadth. See Breadth.(Fine Arts) See: Breadth
9.
Cross; coarse; indelicate; as, a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor.
10.
Strongly marked; as, a broad Scotch accent.
“It is as broad as long, whether they rise to others, or bring others down to them.” — L'Estrange.

Phrases & compounds

Broad acres — See under Acre.

Broad arrow — originally a pheon. See Pheon, and Broad arrow under Arrow.

As broad as long — having the length equal to the breadth; hence, the same one way as another; coming to the same result by different ways or processes.

Broad pennant — See under Pennant.

Syn. Wide; large; ample; expanded; spacious; roomy; extensive; vast; comprehensive; liberal.

02 n. The broad part of anything; as, the broad of an oar.

1.
The broad part of anything; as, the broad of an oar.
2.
The spread of a river into a sheet of water; a flooded fen.[Local, Eng.]
3.
A lathe tool for turning down the insides and bottoms of cylinders.
4.
A woman, especially one who is sexually promiscuous; -- usually considered offensive.[slang]