large

as large as life (British, American & Australian, American)

if you say that someone was somewhere as large as life, you mean that you were surprised to see them there. I looked up from my paper and there he was, as large as life, Tim Taylor!

See also: life

be on the [expensive/heavy/large etc.] side

to be a little too expensive, heavy, large etc.. It's a really good restaurant - it's on the expensive side, mind. I really like the table but I think it's a bit on the large side for our room.

See also: heavy, side

be writ large (formal)

to be very obvious. Anger was writ large in his face.

See also: writ

by and large

generally or mostly. The films they show are, by and large, American imports.

loom large

if a subject looms large, it causes people to think or worry a lot. The threat of unemployment looms large in these people's lives.

writ large (formal)

if something is another thing writ large, it is a clearer or stronger form of that thing. Hollywood is American society writ large.

See also: writ

---

at large

1. most of. The public at large doesn't take the problem seriously.

2. not in prison. Police arrested one man, but the other suspects in the robbery are still at large.

by and large

mostly or generally. By and large, the people I'm talking about are Internet users. There are a few things that I don't like about my job, but by and large it's just fine.

in large part

mostly. The film's power comes in large part from Epstein's excellent and realistic screenplay.

See also: part

living large

able to pay for and enjoying a very expensive style of living. Vacations in the hot spots, a huge apartment in the city, cars, servants — that's my idea of living large!

See also: living

loom large

to be important. Car trips loom large in my family's history.

Usage notes: often said of something that causes worry: The threat of tragic events loomed large over a whaling voyage.

writ large

expressed in a bigger or more obvious way. She believed that cultures are just personalities writ large. The genius of the story is that it's about ordinary life writ large.

Usage notes: usually used after a noun, as in the examples

See also: writ