Dictionary

at large en · ADP

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From Middle English at large (“at liberty or freedom”) (compare Middle English ben at large (“to be at one's liberty, be free”)). Compare Old French au large (“at liberty” and other senses).

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) On the loose; roaming freely; not confined.
   • The lady rode hastily away, and electrified her relatives at dinner by telling them of her escape from a family of dangerous lunatics. "The little girl's eyes were simply those of a maniac. I can't think how she came to be at large," she said. 1902, E. Nesbit, Five Children and It:
   • Officials say the unknown male suspect is still at large and request anyone with information regarding the case to contact Crimeline at (800) 423-8477. 2024 December 27, Leah Sarnoff, “Pregnant woman stabbed 14 times by pizza delivery driver over $2 tip: Police”, in abcnews.go.com:
   • For a nervous twenty-four hours, three wanted criminals were at large in the city.
   • The ambassador-at-large was designated to the Middle East as a region, rather than to a specific country.
2. (obsolete) In full, fully.
   • The like example I find in Lælius à Fonte Eugubinus, consult. 129 […]. Read in him the story at large. , vol.I, New York 2001, p.236
3. In general; as a whole.
   • Some people support the measure, but the community at large will probably be against it.
4. (US, of an election or elected position) Having an electorate across multiple districts.
   • Although the elections for Boston City Council seats are still seven months away, the race between at-large candidates is beginning to heat up. 1991 May 4, Elizabeth Yukins, “City Council Candidates Lobby For The Gay Vote”, in Gay Community News, page 3:
   • The city has five city council districts; however, the mayor is elected at large.

Forms

Deriveds

statutes at large · county at large · editor-at-large · prisoner at large · ambassador-at-large

Synonyms

wholly · on the lam · on the run · in the wild · generally · entirely · in general · in full · on the loose

Translations (67)

tr umumiyetle (in general) · pl na ogół (in general) · de frei umherbewegend (on the loose) · de im Allgemeinen (in general) · tr serbest (on the loose) · pl generalnie (in general) · fr dans son ensemble (in general) · mk на слобода (on the loose) · fr entièrement ((obsolete in English) in full) · pl w ogóle (in general) · de im Ganzen (in general) · it al completo ((obsolete in English) in full) · sv i sin helhet (in general) · de über die Einzelwahlkreise hinaus (having an electorate across multiple districts) · de als Ganzes (in general) · nb på frifot (on the loose) · de in Freiheit (on the loose) · gd mu sgaoil (on the loose) · de vollständig ((obsolete in English) in full) · ru в о́бщем и це́лом (in general) · pt à solta (on the loose) · tr genellikle (in general) · pt por completo ((obsolete in English) in full) · hu teljes egészében ((obsolete in English) in full) · es al completo ((obsolete in English) in full) · sv på fri fot (on the loose) · az azadlıqda (on the loose) · nb som sådan (in general) · ru на во́ле (on the loose) · fi karkuteillä (on the loose) · es prófugo (on the loose) · pl na wolności (on the loose) · hu általánosságban (in general) · cmn 不分區 /不分区 (having an electorate across multiple districts) · de ungebunden (on the loose) · nl in het algemeen (in general) · cmn 在逃 (on the loose) · ru в о́бщем (in general) · pt em geral (in general) · de insgesamt (in general) · es en general (in general) · it in tutto ((obsolete in English) in full) · hu szabadon (on the loose) · de im Großen und Ganzen (in general) · de auf freiem Fuß (on the loose) · ru на свобо́де (on the loose) · es suelto (on the loose) · ca escàpol (on the loose) · sv i allmänhet (in general) · hu szabadlábon (on the loose) · hu mint olyan (in general) · nb i sin alminnelighet (in general) · de als Ganzes ((obsolete in English) in full) · it in generale (in general) · bg изобщо (in general) · fr en cavale (on the loose) · fi kokonaisuutena (in general) · fr en liberté (on the loose) · de frei umherziehend (on the loose) · fr en général (in general) · de im Ganzen ((obsolete in English) in full) · fi vapaalla jalalla (on the loose) · pl w pełni ((obsolete in English) in full) · sv i stort (in general) · nn på frifot (on the loose) · fi enimmäkseen (in general) · bg свободен (on the loose)