large English · revision 3974

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1175|origins=la largus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /lɑːdʒ/, US /lɑːrdʒ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|large]], [[bor|fro|large|t=broad, wide; generous]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|largus|t=abundant, copious; generous]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) through its feminine form [[m|la|larga]].^(COED 2004)^(SOED 2002) The Latin word is of unknown origin,^(Etymonline) though Barnhart thinks it may be related to [[m|la|lārdum|t=lard]].^(Barnhart 1988) It is also the source of Spanish [[m|es|largo|t=long]] and Italian [[m|it|largo|t=wide]],^(Etymonline) and English has [[largess]] from the same base and [[largo]] from Italian.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Liberal in giving, generous, open-handed: about 1175 according to the OED,^(OED 1989) or probably before 1200 in the ''Ancrene Riwle'', where it also meant abundant, ample and roomy.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The early senses were moral and quantitative: “generous, lavish” and “ample in quantity, abundant”, the second now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) “Spacious, roomy” is recorded from before 1225.^(OED 1989) The sense “wide in range, extensive” appears before 1325 in the ''Cursor Mundi'',^(Barnhart 1988) and in reference to speech or writing, “drawn-out, detailed”, from the early 14th century.^(Etymonline) “Broad”, now the usual sense of French ''large'', was used in English from 1377.^(OED 1989) The general meaning “big” is found in Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales'' (about 1385),^(Barnhart 1988) and Hoad dates the sense “great, big” to the 15th century.^(Hoad 1986) The OED notes that in modern English ''large'' is the general word for considerable size, used instead of ''great'' when the emotional overtones of that word are not wanted.^(Etymonline) The noun, “liberality”, is late 14th century, and survives in ''at large'', “free, not confined”;^(Etymonline) ''at large'' “in general” dates from the 1620s, and of electors chosen by a whole state from 1741 in American English.^(Etymonline) Sailors have said that the wind “larges”, becomes favourable, since 1622.^(OED 1989) ''Large-minded'' is from 1725, ''larger-than-life'' from 1840, and ''living large'' from 1994 in African-American English.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1175 – generous, open-handed.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1225 – ample in quantity; spacious.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1325 – wide in range (''Cursor Mundi'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1377 – broad.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1385 – big (Chaucer).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – ''at large'', at liberty.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1622 – verb, of the wind: to become favourable.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1725 – ''large-minded''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1840 – ''larger-than-life''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1887 – ''large-scale''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Greater than average in size, amount, number or extent; [[big]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Of wide scope or capacity; [[comprehensive]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Broad-minded and tolerant; [[liberal]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(nautical)'' Of a wind: [[favourable]], blowing from abaft the beam.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(in at large)'' Free, not in [[confinement]]; also, as a whole, in general.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # ''(nautical)'' Before the wind.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[largeness]]

+ * [[largish]]

+ * [[overlarge]]

+ * [[ultralarge]]

+ * [[enlarge]]

+ * [[large-hearted]]

+ * [[largely]]

+ * [[large-minded]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[largess]]

+ * [[largo]]

+ * [[great]]

+ * [[big]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary groups ''large'', ''big'' and ''great'' as words for things notably above average in size or degree.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}