Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. of an illegal business, without constraint from the authorities.

1887		J.J. Flinn Hist. Chicago Police 392: He was detailed to break up the policy shops which had been running wide open for a number of years.
1888		J.C. Frith Our Kin Across the Sea 27: How do matters stand in Chicago? The dives and doggeries are running wide open.
1892		C. Robinson Kansas Conflict 471: He positively knew of three saloons, running wide open, selling intoxicants over the counter.
1896		Works of T. Roosevelt XIV (1926) 216: By February everything would again ‘be running wide open’ [...] the gambler, the disorderly-house keeper, and the law breaking liquor-seller would be plying their trades once more [DA].
1902		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 72: I would find out from ’em, on de level, what dey could afford to pay to do business, wide open.
1913		Curran Report 14: Dear Sir—I would like to let you know that a gambling house is run wide open under the protection of Jack Rose, [Lieutenant] Becker’s collector, No. 145 West 45th street, run by Herman Rosenthal.
1933		H. Asbury Barbary Coast (2002) 21: All [saloons] ran wide open, day and night, seven days a week.
1943		J. Mitchell McSorley’s Wonderful Saloon (2001) 11: When prohibition came, Bill simply disregarded it. He ran wide open.
1953		‘William Lee’ Junkie (1966) 121: Lupita pays off to operate wide open, as if she was running a grocery store.
1969		B. Jackson Thief’s Primer 129: But this was when they had the town wide open. This is when they had houses of prostitution with girls hanging out of the window naked [...] probably thirty-five, maybe forty gambling joints.
2001		‘Randy Everhard’ Tattoo of a Naked Lady 6: The show was running wide open. Everybody crooked and every joint gaffed and nobody doing a damn thing to stop it.

2. (US) of driving, at full speed.

1959

E. De Roo Go, Man, Go! 8: ‘Had her wide open?’ ‘Not yet. Gonna drop the pan and change the oil.’.