English Explanatory Dictionary

by and large

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adv
  1. Mostly; generally; all things considered.
  2. In one way or another.
  3. Sailing alternately into the wind and in the same direction as the wind.

Pronunciation

en-au-by and large.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-by and large.wav

Word forms

by and large

Etymology

From sailing: a ship may (or may not) sail well both close by the wind, and large, downwind, with sheets extended.

Synonyms

for the most part generally mostly on the whole usually all in all all things considered altogether broadly as a rule basically by and large chiefly feckly in the main largely mainly overall predominantly pretty well primarily principally
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