set at large
Preserved but no longer current.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “set at large” mean?
At liberty. It is a French phrase; prendre la large is to stand out to sea, or occupy the main ocean, so as to be free to move. Similarly, to be set at large is to be placed free in the wide world.
Is “set at large” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.