a)not correct about something, by a large amount 很不准确,离谱
The opinion polls were hopelessly wide of the mark.
民意调查的结果与实际情况相去甚远。
b)not hitting something you were aiming at, and missing it by a large distance 远没有击中目标,大大偏离目标
One of the bombs fell wide of the mark.
其中一颗炸弹落在离目标很远的地方。
Examples from the Corpus
wide of the mark• Another is that the view of October as the product of a truly mass-revolutionary movement is not so wide of the mark.• Few forecasts have been so wide of the mark.• In answer to this, there are cases in which the notion of force feeding is very wide of the mark.• Jean Powers was not so wide of the mark.• The report offers no explanation for our figures being wide of the mark.• Housing committeechairmanBill Dixon said Coun Richmond was wide of the mark and each property would only cost £30,000.• No, Watson, that is well wide of the mark even for you.