Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Wide \Wide\ (w[imac]d), a. [Compar. {Wider} (-[~e]r); superl.
   {Widest}.] [OE. wid, wyde, AS. w[=i]d; akin to OFries. & OS.
   w[=i]d, D. wijd, G. weit, OHG. w[=i]t, Icel. v[=i][eth]r, Sw.
   & Dan. vid; of uncertain origin.]
   1. Having considerable distance or extent between the sides;
      spacious across; much extended in a direction at right
      angles to that of length; not narrow; broad; as, wide
      cloth; a wide table; a wide highway; a wide bed; a wide
      hall or entry.

            The chambers and the stables weren wyde. --Chaucer.

            Wide is the gate . . . that leadeth to destruction.
                                                  --Matt. vii.
                                                  18.

   2. Having a great extent every way; extended; spacious;
      broad; vast; extensive; as, a wide plain; the wide ocean;
      a wide difference. ``This wyde world.'' --Chaucer.

            For sceptered cynics earth were far too wide a den.
                                                  --Byron.

            When the wide bloom, on earth that lies, Seems of a
            brighter world than ours.             --Bryant.

   3. Of large scope; comprehensive; liberal; broad; as, wide
      views; a wide understanding.

            Men of strongest head and widest culture. --M.
                                                  Arnold.

   4. Of a certain measure between the sides; measuring in a
      direction at right angles to that of length; as, a table
      three feet wide.

   5. Remote; distant; far.

            The contrary being so wide from the truth of
            Scripture and the attributes of God.  --Hammond.

   6. Far from truth, from propriety, from necessity, or the
      like. ``Our wide expositors.'' --Milton.

            It is far wide that the people have such judgments.
                                                  --Latimer.

            How wide is all this long pretense !  --Herbert.

   7. On one side or the other of the mark; too far side-wise
      from the mark, the wicket, the batsman, etc.

            Surely he shoots wide on the bow hand. --Spenser.

            I was but two bows wide.              --Massinger.

   8. (Phon.) Made, as a vowel, with a less tense, and more open
      and relaxed, condition of the mouth organs; -- opposed to
      primary as used by Mr. Bell, and to narrow as used by Mr.
      Sweet. The effect, as explained by Mr. Bell, is due to the
      relaxation or tension of the pharynx; as explained by Mr.
      Sweet and others, it is due to the action of the tongue.
      The wide of [=e] ([=e]ve) is [i^] ([i^]ll); of [=a]
      ([=a]te) is [e^] ([e^]nd), etc. See Guide to
      Pronunciation, [sect] 13-15.

   Note: Wide is often prefixed to words, esp. to participles
         and participial adjectives, to form self-explaining
         compounds; as, wide-beaming, wide-branched,
         wide-chopped, wide-echoing, wide-extended,
         wide-mouthed, wide-spread, wide-spreading, and the
         like.

   {Far and wide}. See under {Far}.

   {Wide gauge}. See the Note under {Cauge}, 6.

Far \Far\, adv.
   1. To a great extent or distance of space; widely; as, we are
      separated far from each other.

   2. To a great distance in time from any point; remotely; as,
      he pushed his researches far into antiquity.

   3. In great part; as, the day is far spent.

   4. In a great proportion; by many degrees; very much; deeply;
      greatly.

            Who can find a virtuous woman ? for her price is far
            above rubies.                         --Prov. xxxi.
                                                  10.

   {As far as}, to the extent, or degree, that. See {As far as},
      under {As}.

   {Far off}.
      (a) At a great distance, absolutely or relatively.
      (b) Distant in sympathy or affection; alienated. ``But
          now, in Christ Jesus, ye who some time were far off
          are made nigh by the blood of Christ.'' --Eph. ii. 13.

   {Far other}, different by a great degree; not the same; quite
      unlike. --Pope.

   {Far and near}, at a distance and close by; throughout a
      whole region.

   {Far and wide}, distantly and broadly; comprehensively. ``Far
      and wide his eye commands.'' --Milton.

   {From far}, from a great distance; from a remote place.

   Note: Far often occurs in self-explaining compounds, such as
         far-extended, far-reaching, far-spread.

Source : WordNet®

far and wide
     adv : over great areas or distances; everywhere; "he traveled far
           and wide"; "the news spread far and wide"; "people came
           from far and near"; "searched for the child far and
           near" [syn: {far and near}]