From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwide of the markwide of the marka) not correct about something, by a large amount The opinion polls were hopelessly wide of the mark. b) not hitting something you were aiming at, and missing it by a large distance One of the bombs fell wide of the mark. → wide
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 committee chairman Bill 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. 