Wide vs. broad

[Anchela]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #75 "At the End of the Day (4)", question 7

but just assuming you are ......... awake and in the land of the living

(a) clear
(b) wide
(c) broad
(d) high

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #75 "At the End of the Day (4)", answer 7

but just assuming you are wide awake and in the land of the living

Correct answer: (b) wide

Your answer was: incorrect
but just assuming you are broad awake and in the land of the living
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Why not broad?
In my dictionary I found "broad awake" meaning "fully awake".

Anchela

[Yankee]

Hi Anchela

I'd never heard "broad awake" used before. So, I also checked a dictionary and then googled the words "broad awake" and it seems there are a few people who use these two words together. But this is NOT a common usage.

The expression "wide awake" is by far the most common collocation.

Amy

[Alan]

Hi,

You might be interested in a figurative use of 'broad' found in 'broad daylight' often used to describe the way something is done and can be seen by everyone as in: The robbers made no attempt to hide their attack on the bank when it was dark but committed the robbery in broad daylight.
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