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Meaning of "big"



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
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Meaning of "big" Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:17 am  Meaning of "big"
 

"...nights in Isanbul became as dark as in those distant small towns where they're big on their religion and their graveyard."

What does "big on their religion" mean?
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Meaning of "big" Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:05 am  Meaning of "big"
 

Quote:
they're big on their religion and their graveyard

Hi apo

You need to add the word are to get the full meaning: The idiom be big on means 'be especially enthusiastic about' or 'have a special interest in'.

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Meaning of "big" Mon Nov 27, 2006 18:11 pm  Meaning of "big"
 

I agree with Yankee but I would also add that this phrase is very often, although not exclusively, used in a perjorative way, suggesting that those who 'are big on something' are enthusiastic about it to an excessive or unhealthy degree.
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Meaning of "big" Mon Nov 27, 2006 19:58 pm  Meaning of "big"
 

Hi,

I feel 'big on' suggests 'expert in' doing something on a large scale' but I can't see the perjorative element.

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Meaning of "big" Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:09 am  Meaning of "big"
 

Gentlemen, is 'perjorative' an alternative spelling for 'pejorative'? The same typo twice in a row makes you wonder.
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Meaning of "big" Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:13 am  Meaning of "big"
 

Alan ... How about the following:

"She's big on finding fault with others."

The sentence doesn't suggest that the woman in question has any particular expertise in what she does (although it would suggest doing it on 'a large scale'). Describing someone that way would, I'd say, be unflattering (thus pejorative).

Again. as I said in my first post, the phrase is not exclusively used in a pejorative way.

Oh... Conchita. I didn't make a typo. I misspelled the word. I just checked and, apparently, the word is so frequently misspelled that the OED has an entry on the issue.
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Meaning of "big" Thu Nov 30, 2006 20:19 pm  Meaning of "big"
 

Hi Conchita,

I could say I was misled by Brother Pond but that won't wash, will it. So again, please Miss it is my fault and I would ask you to pass me a dollop of humble pie.

Creepingly

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