Broads

UK: /brɔːdz/ US: (brôdz)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Broads  (brôdz), n. 

1. Place Names The, (used with a pl. v.) a low-lying region in E England, in Norfolk and Suffolk: bogs and marshy lakes.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Broads / brɔːdz/ noun:plural the Broads ⇒

1. a group of shallow navigable lakes, connected by a network of rivers, in E England, in Norfolk and Suffolk
2. the region around these lakes: a tourist centre; several bird sanctuaries

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

broad /brɔd/   adj., -er, -est, n. 
adj. 

1. wide;
   of great breadth:
   The Mississippi River is its broadest at this point.
2. [after a noun of measurement] measured from side to side:
   three feet broad.
3. open;
   full;
   clear:
   [before a noun] robbed in broad daylight.
4. not limited or narrow;
   extensive:
   Our teacher has a broad range of interests.
5. [before a noun] general:
   in the broad sense of the term.
6. plain or clear;
   obvious:
   a broad hint about the job layoffs.

n. [countable]

7. the broad part of anything:
   [usually singular] the broad of his back.
8. Slang Terms a woman:
   Bring in the broads.

broad•ly, adv.: 

Broadly speaking, I think it's safe to say he's dangerous to society.

broad•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

broad  (brôd), 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. Phonetics (of a transcription) using one basic symbol to represent each phoneme.
broad a, the a- sound (ä) when used in lieu of the more common a- sound (a) in such words as half, can't, and laugh.
15. Nautical broad on the beam, bearing 90° to the heading of a vessel.
16. Nautical, Naval Terms broad on the bow, bearing 45° to the heading of a vessel.
17. Nautical, Naval Terms broad on the quarter, bearing 135° to the heading of a vessel.

adv. 

18. fully:
    He was broad awake.

n. 

19. the broad part of anything.
20. Slang Terms
    • [Usually Offensive.] a woman.
    • a promiscuous woman.
21. Cinema, Show Business Often, broads. [Motion Pictures, Television.] an incandescent or fluorescent lamp used as a general source of light in a studio.
22. Currency a gold coin of England and Scotland, issued by James I and Charles I and equal to 20 shillings. Cf. carolus, jacobus.

• bef. 1000; Middle English bro(o)d, Old English brād; cognate with Dutch breed, German breit, Old Norse breithr, Gothic braiths

broad′ish, adj. 
broad′ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. See wide. 
• 3. extensive, ample, vast.
• 5. liberal, open.
• 10. gross.

Antonyms

• 1. narrow.

Broad  (brôd), n. 

1. Biographical C(harlie) D(unbar), 1887–1971, English philosopher.