Word of the Day

: October 11, 2018

by and large

adverb BYE-und-LAHRJ

What It Means

: on the whole : in general

by and large in Context

"Studies have shown that, by and large, when hospitals lose financial resources, they make cuts that could harm some patients." — Austin Frakt, The New York Times, 29 Aug. 2018

"The action is, by and large, wordless (a TV set provides the occasional scrolling quote), with amplified sound and Carberry's playing of prepared instruments adding atmosphere." — Thom Dibdin, The Stage (London), 9 Aug. 2018

Did You Know?

By and large is originally a sailing term meaning "alternately close-hauled and not close-hauled." A ship that is sailing "close-hauled" is sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind). The by part of the phrase means "close-hauled." (This by also appears in the term full and by, meaning "sailing with all sails full and as close to the wind as possible.") Large, by contrast, refers to a point of sail in which the wind is hitting the boat "abaft the beam," or behind the boat's widest point. A 1669 example of a variant spelling of by and large gives us a sense of the range implied: "Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge" (S. Sturmy, Mariners Magazine). The suggestion of a wide range carries over into the term's "in general" sense.