at large

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A descriptive term for the election of public officials by an entire governmental unit rather than by subdivisions of the unit. For example, a delegate at large does not represent any specific district or locale, but speaks instead for a much wider group of people.

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Words nearby at large

Atlantic Provinces, Atlantic salmon, Atlantic Standard Time, Atlantic time, Atlantis, at large, atlas, Atlas cedar, Atlas Mountains, at last, atlatl

How to use at large in a sentence

A fourth suspect, a 26-year-old woman named Hayat Boumeddiene, remains at large.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
However much we gossip about heterosexual couples with large age gaps, we at least refrain from calling them sex offenders.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
I think a large majority of our fans are [other] nationalities.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Drugeon survived an airstrike last year and is believed to be still at large, officials have said.
U.S. Spies See Al Qaeda Fingerprints on Paris Massacre|Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Late Wednesday night, French authorities reported that Mourad had surrendered to police, while the two brothers remained at large.
Police Hunt for Paris Massacre Suspects|Tracy McNicoll, Christopher Dickey|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Jones swung round a large iron key he held in his hand, and light dawned upon him.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Sometimes in the case of large plants, cones have been known to occur on the tips of the branches of the Marsh Horsetail.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
The thought seemed to produce the dreaded object, for next moment a large hummock appeared right ahead.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
In the entrance hall of the Savoy, where large and lonely porters were dozing, he learnt that she was at home.
Bella Donna|Robert Hichens
His nose was hooked and rather large, his eyes were blue, bright as steel, and set a trifle wide.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

Other Idioms and Phrases with at large

at large

Free, unconfined, especially not confined in prison, as in To our distress, the housebreakers were still at large. [1300s]

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]

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]

at large

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How to use at large in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with at large