large it
A1Neutral/Formal
Definition
Meaning
Of considerable or relatively great size, extent, or capacity.
Also used to denote importance, scale, or degree (e.g., in phrases like 'at large' meaning 'as a whole' or 'in general', or 'larger than life' meaning exaggerated).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily describes physical dimensions but also abstract scale. Often interchangeable with 'big' in many contexts, though 'big' can be more informal and 'large' more neutral/objective.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Large' is standard in both. In clothing sizes, UK uses numbers (14, 16), while US often uses 'L'.
Connotations
Similar connotations of size and scale in both varieties.
Frequency
Common in both varieties, with 'big' being slightly more frequent in informal speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[adj] + noun (a large house)[adv] + large (surprisingly large)noun + [prep] + large (an issue of large importance)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at large”
- “larger than life”
- “by and large”
- “loom large”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe market size, profits, companies (e.g., 'large corporation').
Academic
Used for quantities, samples, studies (e.g., 'a large dataset').
Everyday
Used for common objects, portions, groups (e.g., 'a large pizza').
Technical
Used in specific measurements or scales (e.g., 'large intestine').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (archaic) To sail large (with the wind abaft the beam).
American English
- (archaic) To sail large (with the wind abaft the beam).
adverb
British English
- (archaic/rare) He talked large about his plans.
American English
- (archaic/rare) He talked large about his investments.
adjective
British English
- We need a large table for the meeting.
- She comes from a large family in Yorkshire.
American English
- Can I get a large coffee to go?
- He works for a large tech firm in California.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I live in a large house.
- She has a large bag.
- They ate a large pizza.
- A large number of people attended the concert.
- He made a large profit from the sale.
- We need a larger car for the family.
- The issue looms large in the upcoming election.
- By and large, the project was a success.
- The suspect is still at large.
- The ramifications of the decision were larger than anyone had anticipated.
- She has a personality that is larger than life.
- They conducted a large-scale epidemiological study.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LARGE jar. The 'LAR' sounds like 'jar', and a jar can hold a large amount.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS SIZE (e.g., 'a large problem'), QUANTITY IS SIZE (e.g., 'a large sum').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'большой' as 'large' in all contexts. 'Large' is more objective/measurable. For 'important' (большой друг), use 'great' or 'close'. For 'adult' (большой), use 'grown-up'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'large' with uncountable nouns where 'much' or 'a lot of' is better (e.g., 'I have large money' is wrong). Overusing 'large' instead of more specific adjectives like 'spacious', 'vast', or 'huge'.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'in general' or 'as a whole'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Big' is often more informal and can refer to importance or fame ('a big star'). 'Large' is more neutral and objective, often relating to measurable dimensions or quantities.
Not directly. Use 'a large amount of' or 'a great deal of' with uncountables (e.g., 'a large amount of money', not 'large money').
It describes a person who is very flamboyant, exaggerated, or impressive in personality or appearance.
The core meaning is identical. Minor differences exist in specific contexts like clothing sizes or portions (e.g., US 'large fries' vs UK 'large portion of chips').