DaveC426913
Valued Senior Member
Help with English
- Thread starter Saint
- Start date
DaveC426913
Valued Senior Member
Sorry, that may have been too vague. Here you go:
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Or a ghost-like image.
That depends on what you consider "uncommon" to mean.
It's certainly used, but what it means tends to limit its use.
I mean, it's not every day one talks of ghosts, or ghost-like appearances.
An old meaning of “large” use to be “free from restraining influence”, e.g. not in prison. So a murderer, who should be ideally be behind bars, would be considered “at large” if they had not yet been caught.
I think this phrase “at large” is probably the only time you’ll likely see this old meaning still used.
I think this phrase “at large” is probably the only time you’ll likely see this old meaning still used.
DaveC426913
Valued Senior Member
"By and large" - meaning "in general".
By and large is originally a sailing term meaning "alternately close-hauled and not close-hauled." A ship that is sailing "close-hauled" is sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind). The "by" part of the phrase means "close-hauled." (This "by" also appears in the term full and by, meaning "sailing with all sails full and close to the wind as possible.") "Large," by contrast, refers to a point of sail in which the wind is hitting the boat "abaft the beam," or behind the boat's widest point. A 1669 example of a variant spelling of "by and large" gives us a sense of the range implied: "Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge" (S. Sturmy, Mariners Magazine). The suggestion of a wide range carries over into the term's "in general" sense.
- https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by and large
This explains my confusion
https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/au_large
"large" does mean "the high seas ",but in French.
If it helps, in French largeur means width. Compare: the wide world, wide open spaces, etc.
Same in French (not sure btw whether the French are doing away with accents;there has been some talk recently)
I would be surprised if many English speakers knew about one "e" or two...
Similarly with née. The word né exists but is not used in English.
DaveC426913
Valued Senior Member
Nay, brother.That's because it's so painful.
