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by and large

adv.

For the most part; generally: By and large, the play was a success.

[Earlier, to (the wind) and off it, in one direction and another (said of the manner of handling a sailing vessel) : BY¹, toward + LARGE, with the wind abaft the beam.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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