english
1
general::
in general
used when saying that something is usually true in most situations, or about most people or things:
• In general, temporary jobs are less well-paid. • In general, the bigger a company becomes, the harder it is to maintain customer satisfaction.
generally
another way of saying ‘in general’, which is often used before a verb. Generally can also be used to say that most people have a particular opinion:
• Women generally live longer than men. • Newton is generally regarded as the father of modern science.
generally speaking/as a rule
other ways of saying ‘in general’:
• Generally speaking, large breeds of dog are becoming less popular. • He’s a singer who doesn’t do interviews, as a rule. • The graduates are, generally speaking, a confident and articulate group of young people.
mostly/mainly/largely
used when saying that something is true about most people or things, or about most of something. Largely is slightly more formal than mostly or mainly:
• The disease mainly affects women. • Their attempts were largely unsuccessful. • The students were mostly French and German, but there were a few Japanese students too.
for the most part
used when saying that something is true in most cases, but not in every case:
• These problems have for the most part been resolved. • For the most part, the gangs were made up of boys aged between 11 and 16.
by and large/on the whole
used for saying that something is true in most ways or in most cases:
• The project was, by and large, a success. • On the whole, people were very friendly.
Longman-Thesaurus
2
general::
1. Referring to a group of persons or a subject as a whole, as opposed to particular ones. For example, I am speaking about contracts in general, or Girls in general mature at a younger age than boys. [Late 1300s] For an antonym, see IN PARTICULAR. 2. For the most part; commonly, usually. For example, In general the children behaved very well, or Our winters are quite mild in general. [Early 1700s]
American Heritage Idioms
3
general::
Phrase(s): in general
referring to the entire class being discussed; speaking of the entire range of possibilities; in most situations or circumstances. • I like vegetables in general, but not beets. • In general, I prefer a hotel room on a lower floor, but will take a higher room if it’s special.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs