What is the origin of saying by

The expression "by and large" is an idiom that has been used for centuries to mean "in general" or "on the whole." The saying most likely originated from the world of sailing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, sailors would use the phrase "by and large" to describe the direction in which the wind was blowing. If the wind was blowing "by and large," it meant that it was blowing from the side, rather than directly from the front or back. This usage of the term eventually evolved to mean "in general" or "on the whole."