*road*

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. The broad part of anything; as, the broad of an oar. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The spread of a river into a sheet of water; a flooded fen. [ Local, Eng. ] Southey. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A lathe tool for turning down the insides and bottoms of cylinders. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A woman, especially one who is sexually promiscuous; -- usually considered offensive. [ slang ] [ PJC ]

{ } 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 ]

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 ]

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 ]

adv. So as to scatter or be scattered in all directions; so as to spread widely, as seed from the hand in sowing, or news from the press. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. 1. to cast or disperse in all directions, as seed from the hand in sowing; to diffuse widely. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. to transmit (sounds, images, or other signals) in all directions from a radio or television station. [ PJC ]

3. to disseminate (information, a speech, an advertisement, etc.) from a radio or television station. [ PJC ]

4. to spread (information, news, gossip) widely by any means. [ PJC ]

n. 1. someone who broadcasts on radio or television. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a mechanical device for scattering something (seed, fertilizer, sand, salt, etc.) in all directions.
Syn. -- spreader. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the medium that disseminates via telecommunications; radio and television.
Syn. -- broadcast media. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. taking part in a radio or tv program. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

(Eccl.) A portion of the Church of England, consisting of persons who claim to hold a position, in respect to doctrine and fellowship, intermediate between the High Church party and the Low Church, or evangelical, party. The term has been applied to other bodies of men holding liberal or comprehensive views of Christian doctrine and fellowship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Side by side with these various shades of High and Low Church, another party of a different character has always existed in the Church of England. It is called by different names: Moderate, Catholic, or Broad Church, by its friends; Latitudinarian or Indifferent, by its enemies. Its distinctive character is the desire of comprehension. Its watch words are charity and toleration. Conybeare. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fine smooth-faced woolen cloth for men's garments, usually of double width (i.e., a yard and a half); -- so called in distinction from woolens three quarters of a yard wide. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Broadened p. pr. & vb. n. Broadening ] [ From Broad, a. ] To grow broad; to become broader or wider. [ 1913 Webster ]

The broadening sun appears. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make broad or broader; to render more broad or comprehensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Railroad) A wider distance between the rails than the “standard” gauge of four feet eight inches and a half. See Gauge. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. having a broad head. [ Narrower terms: brachycephalic (vs. dolichocephalic), brachycranal, brachycranic ]
Syn. -- roundheaded, short-headed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Having horns spreading widely. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Rather broad; moderately broad. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A tree (Terminalia latifolia) of Jamaica, the wood of which is used for boards, scantling, shingles, etc; -- sometimes called the almond tree, from the shape of its fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Having broad, or relatively broad, leaves, in contrast to needlelike or scalelike leaves. Keats. [ Narrower terms: deciduous (vs. evergreen) ] [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In a broad manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. incapable of being shocked. Opposite of shockable.
Syn. -- unshockable. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. inclined to respect views and beliefs that differ from one's own. Opposite of narrow-minded. [ Narrower terms: free-thinking, latitudinarian, undogmatic, undogmatical ]
Syn. -- broadminded, broad, liberal, tolerant, open-minded, open. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) One of the Eurylaimidæ, a family of East Indian passerine birds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. brādnes. ] The condition or quality of being broad; breadth; coarseness; grossness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An old English gold coin, broader than a guinea, as a Carolus or Jacobus. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To stamp with the broad seal; to make sure; to guarantee or warrant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy presence broadseals our delights for pure. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

The great seal of England; the public seal of a country or state. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. same as big-shouldered.
Syn. -- big-shouldered, square-shouldered. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. (Naut.) The side of a ship above the water line, from the bow to the quarter. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A discharge of or from all the guns on one side of a ship, at the same time. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A volley of abuse or denunciation. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Print.) A sheet of paper containing one large page, or printed on one side only; -- called also broadsheet. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. to collide with the broad side of. her car broad-sided mine
Syn. -- broadside. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Widespread. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Spreading widely. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sword with a broad blade and a cutting edge; a claymore. [ 1913 Webster ]

I heard the broadsword's deadly clang. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. the fur of a very young karakul lamb. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a hardy coarse-haired sheep of central Asia; the lambs are valued for their soft curly black fur.
Syn. -- caracul, karakul. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a street in Manhattan famous for its restaurants and its theaters in the Times Square area. At its intersection with Seventh Avenue, it forms Times Square, an area with impressive displays of bright lights, particularly advertising; it is considered by some to be the cultural center of New York City. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

2. the theater district of Manhattan, located near Times Square. [ PJC ]

adv. Breadthwise. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A private or obscure road. “Through slippery byroads” Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any road or path affording passage especially a rough one.
Syn. -- track, cart track. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A road that crosses another; an obscure road intersecting or avoiding the main road. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or }. (Finance) Certain railroads whose traffic largely consists in carrying the produce of farmers or grangers; -- specifically applied to the Chicago & Alton; Chicago, Burlington & Quincey; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; and Chicago & Northwestern, railroads. [ U. S., obsolescent ]. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A highway; a much traveled or main road. [ Mostly British ]
Syn. -- trunk road. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The most ethical and honest method; -- used mostly in the phrase to take the high road (as in an election campaign). Contrasted with low road. [ PJC ]

n. The entrance of an enemy into a country with purposes of hostility; a sudden or desultory incursion or invasion; raid; encroachment. [ 1913 Webster ]

The loss of Shrewsbury exposed all North Wales to the daily inroads of the enemy. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

With perpetual inroads to alarm,
Though inaccessible, his fatal throne. Milton.

Syn. -- Invasion; incursion; irruption. See Invasion. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Inroaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Inroading. ] To make an inroad into; to invade. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The Saracens . . . conquered Spain, inroaded Aquitaine. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Cf. Gin an engine, Ginnycarriage. ] (Mining) An inclined road in a coal mine, on which loaded cars descend by gravity, drawing up empty ones. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]