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By and large means “in general” or "on the whole" in most contexts, but in sailors’ lingo of yore, whence the phrase arose, by and large described a vessel alternately sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind)—that is, by—and away from the direction from which the wind is blowing, with the wind hitting the vessel’s widest point—that is, large. (Note that this by also appears in the term full and by: "sailing as directly into the wind as possible and with all sails full.") William Bourne’s 1578 book Inventions or Devises offers insight into the phrase’s original use: “… to make a ship to draw or go but little into the water, and to hold a good wind, and to sail well both by and large, were very necessary …” As has happened with much nautical jargon, the phrase eventually came ashore. By and large, landlubbers welcomed it, first in the sense "in many directions" or "in all ways," and ultimately with its present meaning of "in general."
Examples of by and large in a Sentence
John Tamny, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Republicans seemed by and large to support Mr. Kennedy.
—Sheryl Gay Stolberg, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2025
Since 2014, the position has, by and large, been Tim Melia’s.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
Watch collectors are a savvy lot, by and large, and some are both happy to invest in the romance and hip to the realities of modern watchmaking.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“By and large.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20and%20large. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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