largelyadv.
/ˈlɑːdʒli/, U.S. /ˈlɑrdʒli/ 1. Liberally, generously, bountifully. Now somewhat archaic.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > giving > liberal giving > [adverb]
roomlyOE
freelyOE
unsparelya1225
largelyc1225
largec1350
liberallyc1410
unsparinglya1500
beneficially1530
bounteously1531
plenteously1535
frankly1551
well1565
well-favouredly1570
bountifully1580
prodigally1590
amply1594
munificently1594
royally1601
prodigal1603
generously1623
ungrudginglya1631
lavishly1769
unstintingly1857
spaciously1864
open-handedly1924
c1225 (?c1200) Hali Meiðhad (Bodl.) (1940) 408 Þet he nule gleadliche ifinde þe largeliche al þet te bihoueð.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7869 He ȝef..To abbeys & to priories largeliche of is golde.
a1425 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Galba) l. 27873 He may..largely do almus dede.
1493 Chastysing Goddes Chyldern (de Worde) viii. sig. Biiijv/1 Some tyme they wyll yeue largely.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 258 Take with you Gold and Siluer..and depart largely thereof vnto your men of warre.
1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin Serm. on Deuteronomie lxix. 421 Wee haue gods grace much largelier towardes vs.
1602 E. Hayes in J. Brereton Briefe Relation Discouerie Virginia 20 The proofe of which commodities shall incourage our merchants to venter largely in the next.
1693 J. Dryden tr. Juvenal in J. Dryden et al. tr. Juvenal Satires iii. 42 How he Lives and Eats; How largely Gives; how splendidly he Treats.
1741 Memorials & Characters 212 Seeing every remaining Branch of her Family largely provided for, and in a very good Condition, before her Death.
1775 W. Petty Let. 5 Sept. in R. Price Corr. (1983) I. 224 They have in different parts enter'd into Associations, and subscrib'd largely to levye Men against America.
1827 J. Keble Christian Year I. xlvi. 181 Largely Thou givest, gracious Lord, Largely Thy gifts should be restor'd.
1879 R. Browning Pheidippides 48 Too rash Love in its choice, paid you so largely service so slack!
1901 Canad. Mag. Jan. 284/2 Aristo gives largely to foreign missions, to educational institutions, and other branches of church work, and the ministers call him blessed.
1982 F. Donaldson P. G. Wodehouse i. viii. 141 Ethel has been entertaining largely lately.
2009 G. A. Wills Southern Baptist Seminary 1859–2009 i. 41 The seminary moved to Kentucky, and Kentucky Baptists gave largely to the new endowment.
2. † b. Premodifying a word expressing quantity or extent: fully, quite. Obsolete.
a. Copiously, abundantly; extensively, greatly, considerably; on a large scale.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > abundance > [adverb]
enoughOE
roomOE
largely?c1225
rifec1225
foison13..
rivedlyc1300
plenteously1340
plentily1340
fulsomelya1375
abundantlya1382
plenteousc1390
aboundinglyc1400
plentifullyc1400
copiously1447
abundanta1450
amply1454
substantiously1507
fatly?1521
largea1522
plentiful1563
heartily?1577
locupletely1599
redundantly1615
mainly1618
showeringly1621
rifely1648
profusively1650
galore1675
prolifically1735
wholesale1762
copious1791
aplenty1830
plenty1842
swimming1887
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > in general [phrase] > for the most part
for the more party1372
for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387
for the more partc1405
for (the) most partc1405
much dealc1425
in substancea1450
for the mostc1531
in (also for) the generality1580
for the general1581
in (also for, on, upon) the maina1591
largely1594
principally1600
in chiefa1616
mainly1640
nine times (parts, etc.) out of (also in, of) ten1648
greatly1742
as a rule1828
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 88 Swa largelich & swa swiðe fleau þet ilke blodi swat of his blisfule bodi.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Deut. xxxiii. 22 Dan ketelyng of a lion flowe shal largeleche [L. largiter] from basan.
c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. iii. l. 138 For þorw lesynges ȝe [lacchen] [MS lauhte] largeliche mede.
1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) xii. l. 879 He..Send to the Erll and thankit him largele.
1529 T. More Dialogue Heresyes i, in Wks. 139/2 What so euer fashion of worshipping of Latria be, the same is as largely done to saintes and ymages as to god.
1580 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalmes David xviii. vi He lifted me, unto a largly noble place.
1594 F. Bacon Let. to A. Bacon in J. Spedding Lett. & Life Bacon (1861) I. 349 There is a collection of Dr. James, of foreign states, largeliest of Flanders, which [etc.].
1611 Bible (King James) 1 Macc. xvi. 16 When Simon and his sonnes had drunke largely . View more context for this quotation
c1613 ( in T. Stapleton Plumpton Corr. (1839) 23 For, and it go to matter in law, it will cost mony largely.
1669 R. Southwell Let. 6 Mar. in H. Oldenburg Corr. (1968) V. 433 Seventy five pounds sterling would largely content him.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics iii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 110 The sallacious Goat encreases more; And twice as largely yields her milky Store. View more context for this quotation
1711 A. Pope Ess. Crit. 14 Shallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.
1731 T. Gordon Disc. Tacitus vii, in tr. Tacitus Wks. II. 71 Upon the rash or prudent choice of these [Ministers and Counsellors], the credit and ease, or dishonour and danger of a Prince..largely depends.
1773 J. Johnson Let. 6 Feb. in Joshua Johnson's Letterbk. (1979) 63 Should you determine to import largely this fall, you must provide some money.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. v. 653 The chief justice was fast accumulating a fortune out of the plunder of a higher class of Whigs. He traded largely in pardons.
1880 A. Geikie Elem. Lessons Physical Geogr. (new ed.) iv. §24. 228 Water enters largely into the composition of the bodies both of plants and animals.
1908 Lippincott's Monthly Mag. Mar. 348 Seven hundred and fifty dollars..is a sum that eats largely into the income even of a man with ten thousand dollars a year.
1937 S. F. Armstrong Brit. Grasses (ed. 3) x. 183 Its merits..have for many years been recognised on the Continent, and it is largely grown there, especially in France.
1970 N. Frye Stubborn Struct. xvi. 301 The Indians have not figured so largely in the myth as one might expect.
1995 M. Oakley tr. Virgil Collage of God p. lii The result is very often monotonous and detracts largely from Virgil's wonderful power of bringing some homely scene before us in..a memorable and melodious phrase.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > [adverb] > fully or to full extent or in full
fullyeOE
wellOE
plenarly?1316
largelyc1325
abandonc1330
perfectly1340
sadlya1375
plainlya1382
fullily1385
largea1400
atauntc1400
taunta1550
in toto1573
good1577
soundly1577
richly1588
plenarily1615
sounda1616
plenally1631
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > by or to a great degree or extent > to a great degree (of difference)
farc900
largelyc1325
largea1400
widely1603
far-about1848
sizes1861
way1903
tons1908
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 10528 Al a ȝer largeliche þis wrechede ilaste.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xx. l. 86 Þat largelich a legioun lese her lyf.
a1425 (?c1350) Ywain & Gawain (1964) l. 423 I wate þat he was largely By þe shuldres mare þan I.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin (1899) vi. 98 Ther stode a styth of Iren that was largely half a fote of height [Fr. de demi piet de haut largement].
c. Premodifying a word, phrase, or clause so as to discount alternatives: to a great extent; principally, mainly, for the most part, on the whole.Now the most common sense.Earlier uses of largely to modify words such as depend and dependent appear ambiguous between sense 2a and this sense, but are probably to be assigned to the former (cf. quot. 1731 at sense 2a).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > to a great extent, largely, or extensively
substantiallya1425
ample1481
amply1481
greatly1579
supernaculum1599
spaciously1608
extensively1736
largely1785
wholesalely1843
fatly1866
majorly1929
1785 G. Forster Sketches Mythol. & Customs Hindoos 58 It is to this institution..that the generally great population of Hindustan..must be largely ascribed.
a1792 G. Forster Journ. Bengal to Eng. (1798) II. xiii. 18 The wealth and fame of Kashmire have largely arisen from the manufacture of shauls.
1850 D. King Princ. Geol. (ed. 2) i. 20 The elevation of land..is largely due to the action of heat.
1860 Monthly Relig. Mag. Jan. 68 If the waters do not seem to be very deep, it is largely because they are very clear.
1877 T. H. Huxley Man. Anat. Invertebrated Animals vii. 405 The first sternum is..largely hidden by the coxæ of the metathoracic limbs.
1919 P. G. Wodehouse Their Mutual Child i. i. 14 Resource in moments of crisis is largely a matter of preparedness.
1940 J. Buchan Memory Hold-the-Door xii. 287 At the other end are the wage earning classes, who in their health and wealth are largely the care of the state.
1983 J. Hennessy Torvill & Dean 85 The street and station were largely deserted.
2013 New Yorker 4 Feb. 70/2 Eisenhower stayed largely silent on the matter for days.
3. Widely. In later use only with to open. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adverb] > with vast extent
abroadc1300
largelya1398
widely1579
spaciously1598
broadly1599
amply?1611
heaven-wide?1611
spacious1615
extensively1736
extendedly1806
worldwide1836
vastily1844
amplitudinously1921
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. viii. xxix. 512 Þe more parfitlyche it [sc. the shining of light] is iprentid into a body, þe more largeliche [L. latius] it is reboundid þennes.
1425 in H. Nicolas Proc. & Ordinances Privy Council (1834) III. 172 (MED) Hit were knowen..how ferr and how largiely abowte þame þe souldeours and inhabitantes..shuld occupie of grownd.
1551 R. Record Pathway to Knowl. i. iii Open your compasse as largely as you can.
1578 J. Banister Hist. Man i. f. 22 Neyther doth Os sacrum obscurely reclude, but playne, and largely open and discouer the passages on eche syde.
1614 T. Lodge tr. Seneca Disc. Clemencie v, in tr. Seneca Wks. 587 If sometimes there be neede of bloud-letting, take heed lest the veine be opened more largely then the sickenesse requireth.
1744 tr. G. van Swieten Comm. Aphorisms Boerhaave II. 104 Opening very largely the same side of the thorax, by cutting away several of the ribs.
a1786 J. O. Justamond Surg. Tracts (1789) ii. 103 It is proper indeed that these deep seated abscesses should be opened very largely.
1850 Ladies' Cabinet Dec. 356/1 Coming to the place found there a hole, dug through the stone or bricks, which opened largely into another catacomb.
1916 G. E. Brewer in W. W. Keen Surgery VI. cxvi. 394 The overlying lung tissue is next incised with a scalpel to the cyst wall. This should be opened largely and the endocyst completely removed.
2009 A. Dardan Silenced Paces i. 44 By largely opening her eyes, she..tried to pierce the darkness around her.
4. † b. Loosely, inexactly; inaccurately. Obsolete.
a. With a wide or general application; in a broad sense. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb]
overheadOE
generally1340
overalla1393
largelya1398
altogether1566
roundly1584
liberally1708
broadly1856
überhaupt1875
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ix. xxxi. 547 Also to speke largeliche [L. large] of estir, oure estir st[r]ecchiþ to mony dayes.
a1425 (?c1384) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 344 Ȝif men speken largeli, many men ben here more blessid þan þe pope.
a1533 J. Frith Myrroure Sacramente of Baptisme (?1548) sig. Bi I take ye congregacion of God in this place even somewhat largely this is for al them yt are thought or counted to be the members of Christ.
1571 Acts 13 Elizabeth I c. 8. sig. Dvi The sayde statute..shalbe moste largelye and stronglye construed for the repressing of usurie.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 228 This name Æthiopia sometimes taken more largely, otherwhiles more straitned.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica i. ix. 36 I adhere unto Archimedes who speaketh exactly rather then the sacred Text which speaketh largely . View more context for this quotation
1697 tr. F. Burgersdijck Monitio Logica ii. xx. 99 The Word Science is either taken largely to signifie any Cognition or true Assent; or strictly, a firm and infallible one.
a1728 W. Wall Brief Crit. Notes New Test. (1730) 25 Judea taken largely for all that country that Archelaus had had possession of, takes in some parts beyond Jordan.
1775 E. Burke Speech Amer. Taxation 3 He was certainly in the right when he took the matter largely.
1826 J. Kent Comm. Amer. Law I. viii. 151 The day of the commencement of the truce would be included, and as the time ought to be taken largely and liberally, for the sake of humanity, the last day mentioned would also be included.
1869 W. E. Gladstone Juventus Mundi ii. 43 His [sc. Proitos'] subjects may have been Argives of Argolis, taken largely.
1907 H. S. Nash Genesis of Social Concience ii. 47 Humanity, written large and taken largely, is now the trustee of all things that are really worth while.
1994 G. Best War & Law since 1945 i. v. 131 This ‘belonging’, says the ICRC's official Commentary, was intended to be understood largely and liberally enough to include the variety of cases encountered.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > weakness or feebleness > [adverb] > slovenly
largely?c1425
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 363 (MED) Soche akþe is noght propurly þe gowte but largely [L. large] and vnproperly.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 116 Ech of the xj. gouernauncis, which y schal..menteyne and defende is groundid in Holi Scripture largeli and vnpropirli forto speke of grounding.
1535 W. Marshall tr. Marsilius of Padua Def. of Peace ii. xvi. f. 87 Takynge this word princeps largely & vnproperly.
1654 J. Bramhall Just Vindic. Church of Eng. ii. 17 In all Sacraments improperly and largely so called.
1696 W. Lorimer Remarks Goodwins Disc. vii. 57 The word to save, is taken largely and improperly in Holy Scripture, when Men are said by Christ or his Apostles, to save themselves.
1720 J. Enty Truth & Liberty Consistent & Maintain'd 226 Mr. P. seems conscious to himself, that he had spoken too largely, in saying, that they had never taught any thing like Arianism, &c.
a1862 J. H. Thornwell Coll. Writings (1871) I. xiii. 336 Concupiscence is non-conformity with the law, and sin, if these words be taken largely and improperly, as every vice and departure from rule and order, not only in manners, but also in nature and art, may be called sin.
1878 New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut) 37 742 The increase of..writers content to expend their strength upon a more complete account of some small portion of what their predecessors treated largely and inaccurately, is noticeable.
5. With reference to speech or writing: at (great) length; fully. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > copiousness > [adverb] > at length
longlyOE
large1395
largelya1398
at large1450
at the lengthc1500
at long1565
in huge1608
at full, great, some, etc. length1713
lengthily1787
prolongedly1832
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. iii. xxiii. 126 Of þat book we drouȝ what we telliþ of þis matere þere it is disputid largeliche of þe puls.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Parson's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) §458 The speces of this pas shullen ben moore largely declared in hir chapitres folwynge.
1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Bk. Knight of Tower (1971) xli. 64 Gretter boldenesse to speke to her more largely.
?1531 J. Frith Disput. Purgatorye i. sig. c7v Which poynt I will touch more largelye a none.
1551 W. Turner New Herball sig. B vij This herbe is so well knowen in all contrees, that I nede not largelyer to describe it.
1617 W. Adams Let. 14 Jan. in A. Farrington Eng. Factory in Japan (1991) I. 570 Mr Cooks hath moost largly wrot your Woorship of all matters.
1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 109 The feast is largely described by Plutarch.
1737 J. Wesley Let. 29 Mar. (1931) I. 219 And here, indeed, is the hinge of the question, which I had once occasion to state in a letter to you, and more largely in a sermon on the Love of God.
1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity I. Pref. 19 I have written..largely on the subject of the soul.
1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod iii. iii. 160 We shall have occasion farther on to speak more largely concerning all these kinds.
1831 Society 1 154 The girls had written so largely to their friend, she would not repeat news.
1919 Amer. Architect 3 Sept. 293/2 Mr. George S. Hellman of New York, who has written largely on many aspects of art.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > monetary value > price > high price or rate > [adverb] > dearly or expensively
deara1000
largely?a1425
dearly1490
chargeably1534
sweetly1579
expensively?1607
soundlya1616
expensefully1631
expensive1796
up-market1975
?a1425 (a1415) Lanterne of Liȝt (Harl.) (1917) 61 Summe maken lettris for sotiler ypocrisie, to selle alle her suffragis where euere þei fynden þe chapman þat wole paie largeli þerfore.
1572 T. Wilson Disc. Vsurye f. 137 His kynsemen hereupon, being greatly dismayde, offered largely to haue thys fauour: but al would not serue.
1611 T. Coryate Crudities sig. R6 Certain prisoners being largely hired by the King of Spaine, conspired together.
1681 R. Howard Life & Reign Richard II 96 He (though so largely hired to it as aforesaid) cared not for that Voyage.
1721 H. Wanley Diary 3 July (1966) I. 118 An Italian Abbat is willing to sell a most curious MS. of the Hebrew Bible..(which the Undertakers of our Polyglott Bible formerly offered largely for, but were refused).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > malediction > [adverb] > strongly (of language)
foullyc1400
largelya1450
liberally1614
swearinglya1617
thunderingly1680
lusciously1710
the mind > language > malediction > [adverb] > improperly
largelya1450
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [adverb]
unredlya1200
outrightc1300
largec1405
largelya1450
liberallya1500
frankly1541
unrestrainedly1635
ramping1807
outrightly1914
balls-out1959
uninhibitedly1959
a1450 York Plays (1885) 290 Me likes noȝt [t]his langage so largely for to lye.
1498 Interpr. Names Goddis & Goddesses (de Worde) sig. Bvj Wantons..Ofte tyme brynge themself in distresse By cause they somtyme to largely deele.
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) lxxxv. sig. Yiiv Ye saye not wysely to call the archebysshop traitour..it is to largely sayde.
1564 J. Rastell Confut. Serm. M. Iuell f. 73 It ys largelye and lowdelye spoken.
1645 E. W. Life & Death William Lawd 17 He should have cleared himself of that Crime before he spake so largely of the King.
a1670 J. Hacket Scrinia Reserata (1693) i. 143 As soon as I had ended, the King spake Largely and Chearfully, That in Conscience he was satisfied.
8. In large characters, letters, or outlines. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > largeness > [adverb] > on a large scale
in large?1601
largely1617
in the large1813
1617 J. Brinsley Pueriles Confabulatiunculæ sig. C8 I will not goe away, write although largely.
1624 W. Bedell Copies Certaine Lett. iv. 78 On the top of this Tower, was this representation curiously and largely cut.
1680 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises I. xiv. 237 The Fore-Puppet is more largely delineated in Plate 18.
1734 J. Mottley Stow's Surv. London & Westm. I. ii. vi. 377/1 On the East Wall at a due Height are the Ten Commandments in Dutch, largely written in Golden Letters.
1792 T. Holcroft Anna St. Ives VI. cxii. 190 They might have read the oath largely written on my brow.
1844 H. E. Elvins Noah iii. 95 A weathercock, with ‘north’, ‘east’, ‘west’, and ‘south’, Writ largely on it, forms a gath'ring-post!
1887 Sir G. Trevelyan in Standard 27 Aug. 2/3 You could almost read them across the floor of the House, they are so largely printed.
1904 Trans. Royal Sc. Arboricultural Soc. 17 77 Even the commonest animals exhibited in public repositories..require for their determination the help of a largely written label.
2005 B. Senior New Heavens vii. 197 A transport with the letters KLM printed largely on its fuselage landed.
9. In a superior manner or with a superior air; loftily; pompously.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pride > pomposity > [adverb]
biglya1475
pompously1573
pontifically1582
budgely1599
pompous1754
largely1857
burlily1863
portentously1892
portentiously1963
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > ornateness > [adverb] > loftily or grandiloquently
loftily1548
loftly1598
tragically1602
magnificently1630
sublimely1631
grandiloquently1821
soundingly1843
magniloquently1849
largely1857
1857 A. Trollope Barchester Towers III. xii. 213 He, therefore, walked rather largely upon the earth.
1887 H. Caine Deemster II. xviii. 35 ‘Do you know, my good people’, he said largely, ‘I'm at a loss to understand what you mean’.
1930 L. Marlow Lion took Fright xvii. 171 He wasn't, thank God, a materialist. Physical infidelity, he reflected largely, what was that, after all?.
1957 B. W. Aldiss in Authentic Sci. Fiction July 9/1 His talk was at once grandiose and petty; he spoke largely of the triumph of human rights and narrowly of the shortage of trained soldiers.
1993 S. Sallis Daughters of Moon iv. 299 ‘I give back next time around,’ Andreas said largely and drove off at high speed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1225