Idiom
By and large
By and large means generally or on the whole, when you look at the overall picture.
How people use it
People use it to give a general judgment while admitting there are exceptions: By and large, the students did well on the test. It usually starts a sentence or follows a comma, and it works like mostly or overall. The tone is neutral and fits both speech and writing. It is a fixed phrase, so do not change it to by and big or large and by. Despite the word large, it has nothing to do with size.
Examples
- By and large, the new bus schedule has made my commute easier.
- The reviews were by and large positive, though a few people found the hotel noisy.
- Our garden did well this summer, by and large, despite the dry weeks in July.
Where it comes from
The phrase comes from sailing in the 1600s. A ship sailing by was heading close to the direction the wind came from, and a ship sailing large had the wind behind it or to one side. A ship that handled well by and large performed in both conditions. From the idea of covering all conditions, it came to mean in general.
Check yourself
1. What does "By and large, the trip was fun" mean?
Answer: Overall, the trip was fun. By and large means generally or on the whole.
2. Where does by and large come from?
Answer: Sailing ships and the wind. Sailors used by and large for a ship that handled well in different wind conditions.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in LARGE.