Etimology
From Middle English large, from Old French large, from Latin larga, feminine of largus (“abundant, plentiful, copious, large, much”), of uncertain ultimate origin; see there for more. Mostly displaced Middle English stoor, stour (“large, great”) (from Old English stōr) and muchel (“large, great”) (from Old English myċel).
adjective
large (comparative larger, superlative largest)
Of considerable or relatively great size or extent.
(especially clothing, food or drink) That is large (the manufactured size).
(obsolete) Abundant; ample.
(archaic) Full in statement; diffuse; profuse.
(obsolete) Free; unencumbered.
(obsolete) Unrestrained by decorum; said of language.
(nautical) Crossing the line of a ship's course in a favorable direction; said of the wind when it is abeam, or between the beam and the quarter.
Examples
Russia is a large country. The fruit-fly has large eyes for its body size. He has a large collection of stamps.
We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
We have yet large day.
He prefers teachers with large experience, but often has positions for beginners who have had a thorough preparation.
And where hit please yow to saye that I haue holden my lady youre Quene yeres and wynters / vnto that I shal euer make a large ansuer"And where it please you to say that I have holden my lady your queen years and winters, unto that I shall ever make a large answer"
I might be very large upon the importance and advantages of education.
Of burdens all he set the Paynims large.
Some large jests he will make.
Related words
synonyms
big, huge, giant, gigantic, enormous, stour, great, mickle, largeish
See also Thesaurus:large
antonyms
small, tiny, minuscule
noun
large (countable and uncountable, plural larges)
(music, obsolete) An old musical note, equal to two longas, four breves, or eight semibreves.
(obsolete) Liberality, generosity.
(slang, plural: large) A thousand dollars/pounds.
(uncountable, especially clothing, food or drink) One of several common sizes to which an item may be manufactured.
(countable, especially clothing, food or drink) An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
(countable, especially with respect to clothing) One who fits an item of that size.
Examples
Synonyms: maxima, octuple whole note
Getting a car tricked out like that will cost you 50 large.
"We'll call you anything we want," Dave said. "You owe us eighty-five large, Ace, and what we've got for collateral on that money so far is a shitload of Arm & Hammer baking soda worth about a buck-fifty. We'll call you Hubert J. Motherfucker if we want to."
So send my sister a hundred large, and next time you come down to Jessup it won't be my grill talking at you. My word on that.
Synonym: L
One small coffee and two larges, please.
adverb
large
(nautical) Before the wind.