broad

a. [ Compar. Broader superl. Broadest. ] [ OE. brod, brad, AS. brād; akin to OS. brēd, D. breed, G. breit, Icel. breiðr, Sw. & Dan. bred, Goth. braids. Cf. Breadth. ] 1. Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as, the broad expanse of ocean. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full. “Broad and open day.” Bp. Porteus. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A broad mixture of falsehood. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hence: - [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged. [ 1913 Webster ]

The words in the Constitution are broad enough to include the case. D. Daggett. [ 1913 Webster ]

In a broad, statesmanlike, and masterly way. E. Everett. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Plain; evident; as, a broad hint. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Free; unrestrained; unconfined. [ 1913 Webster ]

As broad and general as the casing air. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Fine Arts) Characterized by breadth. See Breadth. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. Cross; coarse; indelicate; as, a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. Strongly marked; as, a broad Scotch accent. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Broad is often used in compounds to signify wide, large, etc.; as, broad-chested, broad-shouldered, broad-spreading, broad-winged. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is as broad as long, whether they rise to others, or bring others down to them. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

Broad pennant. See under Pennant. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Wide; large; ample; expanded; spacious; roomy; extensive; vast; comprehensive; liberal. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. 1. An ancient military weapon; a battle-ax. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An ax with a broad edge, for hewing timber. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. an Old World upright plant grown esp. for its large flat edible seeds but also as fodder.
Syn. -- broad bean, broad-bean plant, English bean, European bean, field bean, Vicia faba. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. (Zool.) A wild duck (Aythya marila, or Fuligula marila), which appears in large numbers on the eastern coast of the United States, in autumn; -- called also bluebill, blackhead, raft duck, and scaup duck. See Scaup duck. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) The shoveler. See Shoveler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A hat with a very broad brim, like those worn by men of the society of Friends. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A member of the society of Friends; a Quaker. [ Sportive ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a broad brim. [ 1913 Webster ]

A broad-brimmed flat silver plate. Tatler. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Cast or dispersed in all directions, as seed from the hand in sowing; widely diffused. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Scattering in all directions (as a method of sowing); -- opposed to planting in hills, or rows. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Agric.) A casting or throwing seed in all directions, as from the hand in sowing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. an act of broadcasting; specifically, a program in which sounds or images are transmitted in all directions from a radio or television station; -- usually referring to a scheduled program on a commercial or public service radio or television station, using the normal radio frequencies for those media, in contrast to a radiotelephone conversation, which may also be transmitted in all directions, but is intended for receipt by a base station in the telephone network. [ PJC ]