width

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From wide + -th, possibly by analogy with Old Norse vídd (“width”), though this is unlikely, as the word is not attested before the end of the 16th century and was historically unknown in Scots and the traditional dialect of Northern England, where one would expect Old Norse influence to be the strongest (these varieties traditionally employed wideness instead). Replaced Middle English wide, wyde (“width”).

noun

1. The state of being wide.
2. The measurement of the extent of something from side to side.
3. A piece of material measured along its smaller dimension, especially fabric.
4. (cricket) The horizontal distance between a batsman and the ball as it passes him.
5. (sports) The use of all the width of the pitch, from one side to the other.
   Manchester United like to play with width.
   England looked to put width on the ball after the restart, Armitage very nearly going over in the corner only for the video referee to decide his foot was in touch. But Armitage did get on the score-sheet five minutes later, Ben Foden straightening and putting the London Irish man in. September 18, 2011, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia”, in BBC Sport