broad
/brɔːd/ (bre, ipa) · [brˈɔd] /brɔːd/ (ame, ipa) · [brˈɔd] /ˈbrȯd/ (ame, mw) · [brˈɔd] /brɑːd/ (ame, ipa)
broad — adjective
- broadpositive
- broadercomparative
- broadestsuperlative
1. Something broad stretches a long way across, so it looks wide rather than narrow
Something broad stretches a long way across, so it looks wide rather than narrow.
Tunde carried a broad tray of tea through the hotel lobby.
broad + noun for physical width
The farmer stood in the broad doorway and waved us inside.
A broad river cut the village off from the nearest station.
James has broad shoulders from years of rowing before school.
- narrow
opposite in side-to-side width
文法句型
broad + noun
be + broad
用法筆記
Common before nouns such as shoulders, road, doorway, and river. After be, it points to side-to-side size rather than overall area or length.
常見錯誤
2. Placed after a number, broad states the width that something measures across.
Placed after a number, broad states the width that something measures across.
The garden path is two metres broad beside the kitchen wall.
number + unit + broad
Mark asked how broad the table was before renting the truck.
how broad + be + noun
At its widest point, the canal is thirty metres broad.
The shelf needs to be sixty centimetres broad for both speakers.
文法句型
number + unit + broad
how broad + be + noun
用法筆記
Used only after a number or in questions about width. Before a noun, broad returns to the physical-width meaning in sense 1.
常見錯誤
3. A broad subject, view, or amount includes many different kinds of things instead
A broad subject, view, or amount includes many different kinds of things instead of only a small part.
The report gives a broad picture of housing problems in Taipei.
broad picture of + topic
Professor Lin has broad experience in training new science teachers.
The charity received broad support from parents, shops, and local schools.
Ritu read a broad range of articles before choosing a research topic.
文法句型
broad + range/support/experience
broad + picture/view + of
用法筆記
Usually modifies nouns such as range, support, outline, agreement, and experience. It stresses coverage, not the detailed completeness that comprehensive suggests.
常見錯誤
4. A broad accent is so strongly regional that listeners can quickly tell where the
A broad accent is so strongly regional that listeners can quickly tell where the speaker comes from.
Jisoo laughed when the actor used a broad Glasgow accent.
broad + regional accent
The tour guide's broad accent grew stronger after two cups of cider.
Caio could follow the lesson, but the guest speaker's broad accent slowed the class down.
The interview kept subtitles because the fisherman spoke with a broad accent.
- neutral
shows little obvious regional color
文法句型
broad + accent
with a broad + accent
用法筆記
Most often used with accent or dialect. It suggests regional speech is strong enough for listeners to notice immediately.
常見錯誤
5. Broad humour uses very obvious jokes and easy physical or sexual comedy rather t
Broad humour uses very obvious jokes and easy physical or sexual comedy rather than subtle wit.
The play relied on broad jokes about bad dates and cheap hotels.
broad jokes = obvious, unsubtle humour
Esme prefers subtle satire, so the film's broad humour felt childish.
The comic used broad physical comedy to entertain the children.
Christopher groaned at the broad bedroom jokes in the radio show.
- subtle
requires more thought and is less obvious
- sophisticated
more refined in style and audience appeal
文法句型
broad + humour
broad + joke/comedy
用法筆記
Usually used for comedy, humour, or jokes. It often suggests the material is unsubtle rather than clever or carefully observed.
常見錯誤
6. A broad hint makes the speaker's real wish so clear that little is left to guess
A broad hint makes the speaker's real wish so clear that little is left to guess.
Indra dropped a broad hint about wanting concert tickets for her birthday.
drop a broad hint
The editor gave a broad hint that the ending needed fewer speeches.
give a broad hint that-clause
After three broad hints, the guests finally started putting on their coats.
Shirin smiled and offered a broad hint about the empty coffee jar.
文法句型
broad + hint
give/drop a broad hint
用法筆記
Most common in the phrase broad hint. It implies the speaker is almost saying the thing directly, not leaving much for the listener to infer.
常見錯誤
7. A broad group or attitude is ready to accept many kinds of people, ideas, or opi
A broad group or attitude is ready to accept many kinds of people, ideas, or opinions.
The new committee stayed broad enough to include teachers and street artists.
broad enough to include different groups
Eli admired the church's broad attitude toward families from different backgrounds.
The movement kept a broad platform so several small groups could join.
The club wants a broad base of members, not one political camp.
- tolerant
focuses on accepting views or behavior you may not share
- inclusive
emphasizes actively making room for different kinds of people
- open-minded
often used of individuals as well as groups
- narrow-minded
unwilling to accept different opinions or lifestyles
- exclusive
designed for a limited group and not welcoming others
文法句型
broad + attitude/platform/base
broad enough + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Often used for organizations, alliances, or attitudes rather than single actions. It stresses willingness to include different opinions, beliefs, or groups.
broad — noun
- broadsingular
- broadsplural
1. an old-fashioned insulting name used for a woman
an old-fashioned insulting name used for a woman
The supervisor was fired after calling a customer a broad.
call + someone + a broad
In the novel, the gangster keeps using broad for every woman he meets.
The guide explains that broad now sounds insulting and old-fashioned.
Rita told her son never to call any woman a broad.
- dame
also old-fashioned and can sound rude, but usually less directly insulting
文法句型
call + someone + a broad
use broad for + woman
用法筆記
Old-fashioned and insulting. It usually appears in quotations, fiction, or discussion of sexist language rather than careful modern speech.