by and large

From sailing: a ship may (or may not) sail well both close by the wind, and large, downwind, with sheets extended.

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by and large (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic, focus) Mostly; generally; all things considered.

   Synonyms: for the most part, generally, mostly, on the whole, usually; see also Thesaurus:mostly

   It was, by and large, an unexceptional presentation.

   • 2023 February 23, Michael Levenson, quoting Sheila Williams, “Science Fiction Magazines Battle a Flood of Chatbot-Generated Stories”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     “The people doing this by and large don’t have any real concept of how to tell a story, and neither do any kind of A.I.,” Ms. Williams said on Wednesday.

   • 2024 May 29, Philip Haigh, “The digital revolution and the switch to in-cab signalling”, in RAIL, number 1010, page 29:

     Akers claims that ETCS signalling renewals are roughly 50% of the cost of conventional renewals. If nothing else, this is an important reason for NR to be keen to switch. "There's no rocket science or magic in that, there's just physically less to deliver," he says. "There are no trackside signals. Yes, you have balises and marker boards, and you still have train detection, but by and large there is simply less to deliver.

2. (idiomatic, obsolete) In one way or another.
   • 1769, Southern Literary Messenger, volume XVII, number 183, page 2:

     Miss Betsey, a charming frigate, that will do honour to our country, if you take her by and large.

   • 1833, John Neal, The Down-Easters‎^[2], volume 1, New York: Harper & Brothers:

     […] a man who who has heard of the biter bit, feels rather perplexed on the whole, take it by-and-large […]

3. (nautical) To sail alternately into the wind and in the same direction as the wind.
   • 1578, William Bourne, Inventions or Devises‎^[3], London:

     […] For to make a Ship to drawe or goe but little into the water, and to hold a good winde, and to ſaile well both by and large, were very neceſſarie, and eſpecially in theſe our ſhallowe Seas, […]

     […] To make a ship that draws little water, holds good wind, and sails well both by and large was very necessary, especially in our shallow seas, […]

• “by and large, adv.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “by and large”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.