だい〔大〕 〈形〉Large; great; big; grand; huge; vast; gigantic; colossal ◆大規模に　on a large scale ◆大事業　a great enterprise ◆大著述　a great work ◆大問題　a grand question ◆大躯幹　a huge body―a gigantic frame ◆大海　a vast expanse of waters ◆大仏　a colossal Buddha ◆大の男　a great big fellow 〈以下特例〉 ◆大勝利　a signal victory ◆大敗北　a signal defeat ◆大なる誤り　a gross mistake ◆大前提　the major premise ◆大音揚げて　in a loud voice ◆大多数　an overwhelming majority―a swingeing majority ◆大反対　to be dead against anything ◆僕は大賛成だ　I am strongly in favour of it. ◆大損害　a heavy loss ◆大の月　a long month ◇小の虫を殺して大の虫を助ける　to save the many at the expense of the few―sacrifice the few to the many 〈名〉The greater ◇大は小を兼ねる　The greater will serve for the lesser. ◆大は小を兼ねることもある　The greater does not always serve for the lesser. ◆大にしては人類のため小にしては国家のためになる　It will be for mankind in general, and for the country in particular. ◆大の字なりに寝ている　He is stretched at full length. 〈後置名詞〉Size ◆像は実物大　The statue is as large as life―life-size. ◆ハガキ大の用紙　a form of postcard size ◆犢大の犬　a dog as large as a calf―a dog of the size of a calf 〈副〉Very ◆彼は小説が大好きだ　He is very fond of novels―He delights in novels. ◆あの男は大嫌いだ　I can't bear that man―I have an aversion to him.