be wide of the mark

1. Literally, to be far from hitting a target. Wow, that shot was really wide of the mark. Is the ball even on the fairway? Watch out, that arrow is wide of the mark! A: "I guess my slapshot was a little wide of the mark." B: "You think? It almost took my head off!"

2. By extension, to be inaccurate or wrong. I never once said that! Your reporter is completely wide of the mark in her accusations. I thought I knew what real estate costs around here, but wow, I was wide of the mark. Wow, it seems the polling data for the gubernatorial election was wide of the mark.

See also: mark, of, wide

wide of the mark

1. Literally, far from hitting a target. Wow, that shot was really wide of the mark. Is the ball even still on the green? Watch out, that arrow is going wide of the mark!

2. By extension, inaccurate or wrong. I never once said that! Your reporter is completely wide of the mark in her accusations. I thought I knew what real estate costs around here, but wow, I was wide of the mark.

See also: mark, of, wide

*wide of the mark

1. Lit. far from the target. (*Typically: be ~; fall ~.) Tom's shot was wide of the mark. The pitch was quite fast but wide of the mark. The arrow fell wide of the mark.

2. Fig. inadequate; far from what is required or expected. (*Typically: be ~; fall ~.) Jane's efforts were sincere but wide of the mark. He failed the course because everything he did was wide of the mark.

See also: mark, of, wide

wide of the mark

COMMON If something that you say or write is wide of the mark, it is not correct or accurate. Any suggestions that we are putting pressure on Sir Michael to step down are very wide of the mark. For once, it seems that the government's figures might not be too wide of the mark. Note: The `mark' in this expression is the target used in archery or shooting.

See also: mark, of, wide

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

wide

mod. drug intoxicated. How’d you get so wide, man? What are you on?

See also:

References in periodicals archive

"We are sure that any accusations to the contrary are well wide of the mark," he added.

Barcelona dismiss Drenthe's accusation of racism against Messi

I suppose it depends how you define the term "wide of the mark." A random Google definition summarises the phrase as "incorrect" or "inaccurate," another "to be wrong." If Solihull is closing then the original suggestion could be construed, very strictly speaking, as incorrect or inaccurate.

The masks of phraseology; city view

Hills quote 8-11 for Clarke to be 100 per cent right and evens to be wide of the mark, like most of his bowlers.

STREWTH IS IT'S A SQUAD OF LOSERS; IN ASSOCIATION WITH with sports betting's top tipster DEREK McGOVERN E-MAIL: betsguru@aol.com WEB: bet-like-a-pro.com

But the idea that Birmingham's street lights are all going to be switched off between midnight and 6am is completely wide of the mark. This is about seeing if we can make adjustments where it's safe to do so, not plunging the city into darkness.

Safety won't be hit by new lights; YOUR SAY

CLAIMS that Town want to solve their striker shortage by signing Nottingham Forest's Dexter Blackstock seem wide of the mark.

DEXTER DEAL IS UNLIKELY; Blackstock reports quashed

Joe Anderson''s assertion that "it is used for little but dog fouling" is so wide of the mark, as to be grossly misleading.

Keep city green space; You Say Email:letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk

Walton said: "Whilst Al Muhammadi was here on trial last summer we have had no subsequent contact with the player, his club or his representatives so these reports are wide of the mark."

No Ahmed link; football ROUND-UP

YOUR report headlined "Pensions drain the coffers as budgets tighten" (The Journal, February 9) was wide of the mark in referring to gold-plated public sector pensions.

Letter: VOICE OF THE NORTH - Pensions tin foil, not gold plate

But claims that the new structure will detract from views of the Council House and St Philip's Cathedral are wide of the mark.

Tower fears; THE BIRMINGHAM POST

REPORTS that Nacho Novo had signed for the Sky Blues yesterday were wide of the mark, forcing the club to issue a statement saying they were no longer interested in the Rangers striker.

Football: Novo no-go

Perceptions of Wales are already wide of the mark over the border.

We're noton track..

RUMOURS of David Beckham being unpopular within the England camp may be wide of the mark, but it seems not everyone shares his taste in clothes.

Sport Confidential: Armani's yellow card

'It is always difficult to put an accurate time estimate on this kind of injury, but six weeks is way wide of the mark,' insisted Hoddle on the club's website, www.spurs.co.uk.

Football: Hoddle angry at the Keane speculation

This observation is not as wide of the mark as it might appear and should be seen in the context of the centralist nature of the SNP, so re-nationalisation is a likely outcome for all the utilities.

Oil nationalisation; Letters.