By and Large

Somehow I KNEW you wanted to know this...

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%20and%20large

By and large is originally a sailing term meaning "alternately close-hauled and not close-hauled." A ship that is sailing "close-hauled" is sailing as directly into the wind as possible (typically within about 45 degrees of the wind). The "by" part of the phrase means "close-hauled." (This "by" also appears in the term full and by, meaning "sailing with all sails full and close to the wind as possible.") "Large," by contrast, refers to a point of sail in which the wind is hitting the boat "abaft the beam," or behind the boat's widest point. A 1669 example of a variant spelling of "by and large" gives us a sense of the range implied: "Thus you see the ship handled in fair weather and foul, by and learge" (S. Sturmy, Mariners Magazine). The suggestion of a wide range carries over into the term's "in general" sense.

In a previous life I worked as a marine mechanic...boats, not the guys in uniforms. I found the nautical terms useful when talking about the left and right side since it obviated the confusion of whether you're at the front looking toward the rear or vice versa. Plus, Phoebe likes to think of herself as a schooner since she has four doors, each set resembling a mast.

Close-hauled w Laundry a 'opside