Utvide

Utvide is a Norwegian Bokmål verb meaning to widen, expand, or extend. It is used for both physical dimensions and more abstract scopes, such as widening a road, expanding a business, or broadening one’s knowledge. The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object, as in å utvide huset (to widen the house) or å utvide tilbudet (to broaden the offering).

Conjugation and forms: in present tense it is utvider, as in han utvider planen; the past tense is utvidet, and the supine used in perfect tense is also utvidet. The past participle is utvidet, and the present participle or verbal adjective form is utvidende. A related noun is utvidelse or utviding, meaning expansion or enlargement. Related verbs and expressions include bredding (less common), forlenge (to lengthen or extend), and utvide seg (to expand oneself or one’s range).

Etymology: the term derives from Old Norse roots combining a prefix meaning outward (out) with a word meaning wide, reflecting the core idea of increasing breadth or extent. The concept survives across Norwegian dialects and cognate languages, where similar forms denote expansion or extension.

Usage notes: utvide is versatile and commonly appears in contexts such as urban planning (utvide en vei), business strategy (utvide sysselsetningens rekkevidde), education and research (utvide kunnskapen), and technology (utvide minnet eller kapasiteten). It is preferred over more general terms when the emphasis is on increasing scope or physical size.

See also: utvidelse, utviding, forlengelse, bredd.