Definition of Larger-than-life

1. Adjective. Very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale). "Heroic sculpture"

Exact synonyms: Epic, Heroic
Similar to: Big, Large

Definition of Larger-than-life

1. Adjective. Of greater size or magnitude than is naturally or normally the case. ¹

2. Adjective. (idiomatic usually of a person) Very imposing, renowned, or impressively influential. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Larger-than-life

largely
largemouth
largemouths
largen
largened
largeness
largenesses
largening
largenose
largens
larger
larger-than-life (current term)
larger bindweed
larger than life
larges
largess
largesse
largesses
largest
larget
largets
larghetto
larghettos
larghissimo
largifical
largiloquent

Literary usage of Larger-than-life

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Dictionary of Painters and Engravers: Biographical and Critical by Michael Bryan (1886)
"... thought to result from his suggestion, that Polygnotus designed his figures larger than life, Dionysius the size of life, and Pauson smaller than life. ..."

2. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society by Royal Meteorological Society (Great Britain) (1887)
"Having shown that a shadow (not a penumbra) larger than life is impossible, and that a good shadow can not be formed at many of the distances named ..."

3. Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York by New York Academy of Sciences (1858)
"The structure of the animal is so curious that I have drawn a rough outline for you, much larger than life, for distinctness sake. ..."

4. Sketches of India by Moyle Sherer, Officer for fire-side travellers at-home (1824)
"open building, supported by tall columns of stone, with the figure of a bull couch- ant, sculptured as large, or much larger than life beneath it. ..."

5. Record of Christian Work edited by Alexander McConnell, William Revell Moody, Arthur Percy Fitt (1905)
"But it was necessary for the actors to be made larger than life, and so they wore big, thick stockings and sandals, which made them look considerably larger ..."

6. Indian antiquities: or, Dissertations, relative to the ancient geographic by Thomas Maurice (1806)
"... without any windows, constructed of large stones of granite marble, of a dark colour, and entirely filled with bas-reliefs, larger than life, ..."

7. Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects by Giorgio Vasari, Jonathan Foster (1864)
"Danti has besides now in hand a Madonna, somewhat larger than life; she is standing upright, and holds the Infant Christ, a child of about three months old, ..."

8. Lives of the Most Eminent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects: Tr. from the by Giorgio Vasari, Jean Paul Richter (1864)
"Danti has besides now in hand a Madonna, somewhat larger than life ; she is standing upright, and holds the Infant Christ, a child of about three mouths old ..."

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