on the average

on the average

Typically; in general. How many cupcakes does your shop sell daily, on the average? I know he has had some awkward moments, but, on the average, Tim is a nice guy.

See also: average, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

on the average

 and on average

generally; usually. On the average, you can expect about a 10 percent failure rate. This report looks OK, on average.

See also: average, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

on the average

As a rule, usually, as in On the average, about 15 percent of the freshmen class will drop out before graduation. This expression uses average in the sense of "a norm or standard." [First half of 1700s]

See also: average, on

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.