Broad

Broad - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

BROAD, a. brawd. [L. gradior; a root of extensive use.]

1. Wide; extended in breadth, or from side to side, as distinguished from long, or extended from end to end. It is opposed to narrow; as a broad street; a broad table.

2. Wide; extensive; vast; as the broad expanse of ocean.

3. Large; as a broad mixture of falsehood.

4. Open; clear; not covered,confined or concealed; as in broad sunshine.

5. Gross; coarse; as broad mirth; broad nonsense.

6. Plain; tending to obscenity; as a broad comment.

7. Bold; not delicate; not reserved; as broad words.

8. Comprehensive.

It may be urged that the words in the constitution are broad enough to include the case.

Broad as long, equal upon the whole.

brod (rochabh, "width"; rechobh, "a broadway," "street," "court"; eurchoros, "spacious"): Occurs frequently as a term of dimension (Ex 27:1; 1Ki 6:6; Eze 40:6,43 the Revised Version (British and American), "handbreadth long") and as indicative of strength (Ne 3:8; Jer 51:58). The centers of communal life are called the "broad places," often rendered "streets" (Jer 5:1; So 3:2; Na 2:4). A court before the temple: "the broad place on the east" (the King James Version "the east street," 2Ch 29:4); "broad plates" (Nu 16:38,39, the Revised Version (British and American) "beaten").

Figurative: Relief from distress: "Yea, he would have allured thee out of (Hebrew "the mouth of") distress into a broad place" (Job 36:16); the liberty of obedience or liberty within the law (Ps 119:96, "broad," "roomy," "at liberty"); the all-sufficiency of God for His people (Isa 33:21). Jerusalem could not boast of a river or navy--Yahweh's presence with and within her would more than supply these deficiencies; the road to destruction: "Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction" (Mt 7:13); the ostentatious piety of the Pharisees: "They make broad (platuno, "widen") their phylacteries" (Mt 23:5).

See CITY; GATE.

L. Kaiser