Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adv. For the most part; generally: By and large, the play was a success.
Wiktionary
- adv. set phrase, focus mostly, generally; with few exceptions
WordNet 3.0
- adv. usually; as a rule
Etymologies
- From sailing: a ship may (or may not) sail well both close by the wind, and large, downwind, with sheets extended. (Wiktionary)
- Earlier, to (the wind) and off it, in one direction and another (said of the manner of handling a sailing vessel) : by1, toward + large, with the wind abaft the beam. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“George M. Low, a member of NASA’s original Space Task Group and a leading official in the Office of Manned Space who later served as program manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, once explained the “fantastic amount of preparation” involved: “Although the astronauts along the way did enjoy some fun and games, by and large they were the hardest-working bunch of guys I ever knew.”
“The city was divided between two lordships, the prior's half and the earl's half, and from time to time there was some grumbling and discontent over privileges varying between the two, but there was a shared and acknowledged town moot for all, and by and large they rubbed shoulders with reasonable amity.”
“Archelaus Sisenes, whose contributions to Antony failed by and large to materialize, was allowed to keep Cappadocia, and was given Cilicia Tracheia, a part of Cleopatra’s grant.”
“In Warsaw, these plainclothes shock troops who arrived by truck, the ones the students called Gestapo, were often workers 'militia, who were told that the student protesters were privileged kids who lived in the best apartments and took trips to Paris, all of which was by and large true.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘by and large’.
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Siamese Twins - X and/or Y
Collocations with 'and' & 'or'
neither fish nor ..., neither hide nor ..., alive and kicking, all or nothing, an arm and a leg, apples and oranges, back and forth, be-all and end-all, bells and whistles, black and white, blood and guts, bow and arrow and 230 more...
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Result
hence, therefore, accordingly, consequently, thus, thereupon, as a result, in consequence, subsequently, after all, all things consid..., briefly and 22 more...
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Hackneyed expressions in three words
Stupid, overused expressions in three words. Let these idioms die.
outside the box, second to none, by and large, all that jazz, win-win situation, push the envelope, that being said, needless to say, down to earth, beg to differ, to die for, never you mind and 62 more...
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And Another Thing
adam and eve, again and again, alpha and omega, arts and crafts, b and b, back and forth, bacon and eggs, be-all and end-all, bells and whistles, black and blue, black and tan, blood and guts and 165 more...
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5-0
Hecko, words! I’m so happy I’ve found you. I want to keep you all and never want to lose you again. I hope you like it here.
amscray, thistledown, tine, tinsel, pungent, snarl, wail, lanky, viscid, dawdle, luminous, stow and 2719 more...
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Three Sheets to the Wind
Common words or phrases of nautical origin that have taken on different or metaphorical meanings. Chained_bear and I tossed a coin over who would make the list. I won (or lost, depending on how you...
scuttlebutt, taken aback, brass monkey, boot camp, clean bill of health, three sheets to t..., the devil to pay, between the devil..., by and large, the whole nine yards, mind your ps and qs, slush fund and 116 more...
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The things they carried (List 2)
Listening to this as an audio book for the second time. Tim O'Brien uses simple words and phrases to great effect. Very few unfamilar and big words . The writing style reminds me of words from Joh...
The, Things, They, Carried, meant, fond, By necessity,, presented to him, far beyond, against the brick..., reaching, taut and 2940 more...
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A Life on the Ocean Wave
Nautical words.
galleon, yacht, raft, three sheets to t..., make headway, in the doldrums, keelhaul, catch my drift, down the hatch, dinghy, canoe, by and large
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The Mariner's Record
quay, gunwale, bosun, starboard, larboard, by and large, offing, scuttle, scuttlebutt, longshoreman, sextant, windfall and 54 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for by and large.
sonofgroucho I had no idea this had a nautical origin! Dec 10, 2007
reesetee In all cases or in any case. Originally, this term meant into the wind (by) and with the wind (large). Dec 10, 2007