adv. and prep. Forms: 3–4 a brod, 4 a-brood, 5 on brode, 5–6 a-brode, 6 abroade, 6– abroad. [f. A prep.1 on, in, at + BROAD a. Cf. a-long, at large, and A-BREDE, OE. on brede, mod. Sc. a breid.]
A. adv.
1. Broadly, widely, at large, over a broad or wide surface.
1297. R. Glouc., 542. That win orn abrod so, That it was pite gret of so much harm ido.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour., g viij b. Plenty of sylke and clothe of gold was there abrode.
1611. Bible, Rom. v. 5. The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts.
1796. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, xiv. 216. Pour it on it and spread it abroad with a rolling-pin.
1839. Carlyle, Chartism (1858), iii. 14. Would to Heaven one could preach it abroad into the hearts of all sons and daughters of Adam.
b. Widely asunder, with the fragments or portions widely scattered.
c. 1260. E. E. Poems (1862), 6. Al þat þou wan here wiþ pine, a-bro[d] þin eir sal wast it al.
c. 1400. Apol. for Lollards, 73. He þat gedreþ not wiþ Me, he sckateriþ a brod.
1483. Caxton, Golden Leg., 165/2. A man in that companye … smote hym on the heed that his brayne fyl alle abrode.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. i. 106. The angry Northerne winde Will blowe these sands like Sibels leaues abroad.
1654. G. Goddard, in Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 79. The Parliament had already taken the Government abroad, (in pieces was meant) and had altered and changed it.
1875. B. Taylor, Faust, I. x. 127. Then a chance will come, a holiday, When, piece by piece, can one abroad the things display.
c. Widely apart, with the parts or limbs wide spread.
c. 1430. Syr Generides, 4487. With his armes spred on brode To Ismael his brodre he rode.
c. 1440. Lay-Folks Mass-Bk., C. 242. He wille sprede his armes on brade [1450 abrade].
1535. Coverdale, 2 Kings xix. 14. Whan Ezechias had receaued the letters … [he] layed them abrode before the Lorde.
1598. Gerarde, Herball, I. xxxv. § 5. 50. But the leaues be more spred abroad.
1627. Bacon, New Atlantis, 6. At his coming he did bend to us a little, and put his arms abroad.
1769–90. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc. (1876), x. 15. The locks of the hair are flying abroad in all directions.
1847. Longf., Evan., I. v. 116. Stretched abroad on the seashore motionless lay his form.
† d. Hence, Naut. ‘An old word for spread pa. pple.; as all sail abroad.’ Smyth, Sailor’s Word-Bk.
1667. Lond. Gaz., cxxxvi/1. The Dragon Fregat appearing with Dutch Colours abroad, the Captain … remanded his Men.
1790. Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., I. 187. The Admiral made the signal … for those who were to lead, to do so with the starboard tacks abroad by a wind.
2. lit. At large; freely moving about; and fig. current in the outside world.
c. 1500. Robin Hood, II. vii. 11. Sad news I hear there is abroad, I fear all is not well.
1538. Starkey, England, 148. For I wot not whether I may speke thys a-brode.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. i. 190. Ther’s villanie abroad, this letter will tell you more.
1699. Bentley, Phalaris, 364. In the interval of time between them … these pretended Laws of Charondas came abroad.
1704. Ray, Creation, II. 288. What is abroad round about us in this aspectable World.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 365. He was perfectly aware of the suspicions which were abroad.
3. Out of one’s house or abode; out of doors; out in the open air.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. II. 176. To bere bischopes aboute, abrode in visytynge.
1553. Udall, Roister Doister (1869), 42. I bid him keepe him warme at home For if he come abroade, he shall cough me a mome.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. ii. 107. I am glad to see your Lordship abroad: I heard say your Lordship was sicke. I hope your Lordship goes abroad by aduise.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 101. Any floor level with the ground receives more dirt from abroad.
1728. Young, Love of Fame (1757), v. 127. Tho’ sick to death, abroad they safely roam.
1841. Borrow, Zincali, I. iv. 296. He found me not, as I was abroad dining with a friend.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, iii. 23. The whole population was abroad, either reaping or threshing.
Mod. The badger ventures abroad only after dusk.
4. Out of the home country; in or into foreign lands. From abroad: from foreign lands.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xxxvii. 679. Estward ayens the sonne lokeden they there Ful fer abrod into the Se.
1559. Myrroure for Mag., Salisbury, xv. 7. The one at home, the other abrode in Fraunce.
1605. Shaks., Macb., V. viii. 66. Calling home our exil’d Friends abroad.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. 5. I resolv’d not to think of going Abroad any more, but to settle at Home.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, vi. 85. The Welsh iron-masters had now rivals abroad.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 317. At the close of the reign of Charles the Second, great part of the iron which was used in the country was imported from abroad.
1866. Geo. Eliot, Felix Holt, Epil. 429. He was understood to have gone to reside at a great distance; some said ‘abroad,’ that large home of ruined reputations.
5. Wide of the mark or the truth; ‘out,’ astray.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick. (C. D. ed.), vi. 33. I’m only a little abroad, that’s all.
1842. Thackeray, Van. Fair, I. 5. At the twelfth round the latter champion was all abroad, as the saying is, and had lost all presence of mind.
1876. M. Arnold, Lit. & Dogma, 244. The first deals successfully with nearly the whole of life, while the second is all abroad in it.
B. prep. [The adv. with place expressed]. Out, over, throughout. Obs. or arch.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ccxxxv. 330. So then the prince’s host spred abrode that countre.
1653. Baxter, Peace of Consc., 51. [They] will proclaim abroad the world that our Ministers are Legalists.
1652. Stillingfleet, Orig. Sacr. (ed. 3), I. vi. § 5. 99. And walk abroad the world.
¶ Used as adj.; and elliptically for go abroad.
1550. Lever, Sermons, 29. Their riches muste abrode in the countrey, to bie fermes.
1615. Chapman, Odyssey, xvi. 551. Then to the queen was come The Wooers’ plot, to kill her son at home, Since their abroad design had miss’d success.
1676. Cotterell, trans. Cassandra, VI. 97. We must abroad again.
