at large

at large

1. Roaming freely, as of a criminal who has not been caught. The robbery suspect is still at large and is considered very dangerous.
2. As a whole; in general. That change in curriculum has not been accepted by the teachers at large.
3. Representative of the whole, rather than smaller groups, as of certain elected offices. Who has been elected to act for the community at large?
See also: large
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

at large

 
1. free; uncaptured. (Usually said of criminals not in custody.) At noon, the day after the robbery, the thieves were still at large. There is a murderer at large in the city!
2. in general; according to a general sample. Truck drivers at large don't like the new speed restriction on the highway. Students at large felt that discipline was too strict.
3. representing the whole group rather than its subsections. (Always refers to a special kind of elective office.) He ran for representative at large. She represented shareholders at large on the governing board.
See also: large
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

at large

1. Free, unconfined, especially not confined in prison, as in To our distress, the housebreakers were still at large. [1300s]
2. At length, fully; also, as a whole, in general. For example, The chairman talked at large about the company's plans for the coming year, or, as Shakespeare wrote in Love's Labour's Lost (1:1): "So to the laws at large I write my name" (that is, I uphold the laws in general). This usage is somewhat less common. [1400s]
3. Elected to represent an entire group of voters rather than those in a particular district or other segment-for example, alderman at large, representing all the wards of a city instead of just one, or delegate at large to a labor union convention. [Mid-1700s]
See also: large
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

at ˈlarge


1 (after a noun) as a whole, in general: The public at large does not know enough about this problem.
2 (of a dangerous person or animal) free; not captured: Her killer is still at large. OPPOSITE: under lock and key
See also: large
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

at large

1. Not in confinement or captivity; at liberty: a convict still at large.
2. As a whole; in general: the country at large.
3. Representing a nation, state, or district as a whole. Often used in combination: councilor-at-large.
4. Not assigned to a particular country. Often used in combination: ambassador-at-large.
5. At length; copiously.
See also: large
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • be on the loose
  • not grow on trees
  • wolfpack
  • roman
  • Roman hands and Russian fingers
  • on the gad
  • roam
  • roam about
  • hockie
  • hocky
References in periodicals archive
I am not talking about The Devil at Large's explicit excursions into the territory of self-interest, such as Jong's decision to kick off her disquisition by reproducing, in their entirety, two letters Miller wrote (one to Jong, one to her publisher) that tell you nothing about their writer other than that he was moved to fulsome praise by Fear of Flying.
The Devil at Large: Erica Jong on Henry Miller
Last year, another surge in loan loss provisions, concentrated at large banks with substantial loans to developing countries, pulled down the industry's return on assets to 0.51 percent, the second lowest level since 1970 (chart 1), and its return on equity to 7.94 percent.
This process was most evident at large regional banks, where--owing in part to charge-offs--loans to foreign governments fell nearly one-third and C&I loans to foreign addressees decline 6-1/2 percent.
But dividends as a share of profits surged at large banks other than money centers, reflecting mainly the maintenance of dividend payouts in the face of a substantial decline in profitability.
However, as illustrated in chart 7, equity capital composed a greater share of total capital at smaller banks, whereas subordinated debt, mandatory convertible debt, and loan loss reserves constituted a greater share at large banks.
Developments affecting the profitability of commercial banks
At large banks, holdings of total securities shrank.
At large regional banks, loans to foreign governments fell 26 percent and C&I loans to foreign addressees declined almost 19 percent last year.
Real estate loans on nonaccrual status were about unchanged; at large banks other than money center banks, however, they increased sharply.
Recent developments in the profitability and lending practices of commercial banks