"Living Large"

[Garson O'Toole]

Fred knows this. But other list members with restricted access to the
online OED might find this interesting.

large, adj., adv., and n.

Draft additions June 2004
B. adv.
a. U.S. slang (now esp. among African-Americans). to live large : to
live in an extravagant manner; (hence) to be very successful, popular,
or wealthy, esp. ostentatiously so.

1834    W. G. Simms Guy Rivers I. viii. 102   He did have a power of
money‥, but they did say he was going behind hand, for he didn't know
how to keep what he had. He was always buying, and living large—but
that can't last for ever.

On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 7:55 PM, Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
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> Sender: Â  Â  Â  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Â  Â  Â  "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject: Â  Â  Â "Living Large"
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>
> A former Solicitor General of the United States has asked me about the origin of the expression "living large." Â I would welcome any information on this question.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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