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big screen

big screen

30 3.2
A large television screen used to watch films or videos
  • noun
: pantalla grande
  • I just want to watch my nature documentaries on a big screen again.
  • a big screen television

That's what people want to watch on a big screen TV and it's very communal.

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Examples

  • Get them to play it on the big screen at the end of the game.

  • If you haven't seen 2001 on the big screen, then you haven't seen it.

    Blog text (7)
  • So now you can play on the big screen your mobile phone games.

  • Put that up in here on the big screen.

  • Great, bring 'em up on the big screen.

  • It's gonna be on the big screen?

  • Move it over to the big screen.

  • The sonogram came up on a big screen on the wall right in front of us.

    Blog text (29)
  • Her husband had recently bought a big-screen television at Circuit City for patient education at his clinic.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I enjoy watching movies on a big screen at the cinema with friends.

Synonyms

screen
vsbig screen
∞ 1.0

A flat surface that shows images or videos

refers specifically to a large display used for films or video at home or public
Jumbotron
vsbig screen
5 7.2

A very large video screen at stadiums or events that shows images and video so people can see them

is a large display used for watching films or videos in homes and public places
video display
vsbig screen
2 3.4

A screen that shows text, photos, or moving pictures

is focused on watching films or video rather than any visual output
projection screen
vsbig screen
2 2.8

A large white surface on which a projector shows images or videos

is an electronic display device rather than just a projection surface
telescreen
vsbig screen
6.3

A large screen that shows films or live events in public places

is used for watching films or video at home or in public

How Big

big screen
30 3.2
screen
∞ 1.0
monitor
118 3.3
viewgraph
  • Archaic
1 8.6
tablet
286 2.7

Surface Forms

big screen singular
big screens plural

Morphology

big + screen

The meaning 'a large display device' is directly and compositionally derived from 'big' (large) + 'screen' (display). This adjective+noun combination follows a common, transparent pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Big screen was later used for very large televisions and monitors because they give the same large-picture experience as a movie theater. So today it also means a large display device for watching films or events.