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Glite Dictionary
to have it large

to have it large

9.6
To celebrate and enjoy yourself loudly at a big party
  • phrasal verb
  • UK
translation icon : celebrar a lo grande
  • When he turned 30, he wanted to have it large with friends and family, so they booked a lavish venue.

I think next year I'm just going to go all out, really all out and just fucking have it large.

Examples

  • At the festival, we decided to have it large and danced until dawn.

  • - I had it large.

    Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

  • They really know how to have it large during their annual holiday party.

Synonyms

to live it up
vsto have it large
  • Informal
27 7.2

Enjoy yourself in a lively, often expensive way at parties or restaurants

is used mainly for celebrating at social events rather than general living
to live large
vsto have it large
  • Informal
9 8.2

Enjoy yourself by spending a lot on expensive things and fun

is about celebration at parties rather than a long lifestyle habit
to splash out
vsto have it large
  • UK
1 7.2

Spend a lot of money on something, usually to celebrate or treat yourself

focuses on spending on items rather than celebrating at social events

Antonyms

dull
182 1.3

Not interesting or lively

restrained
5.3

Calm and controlled, not strong or showy

How Celebratory

to go all out
39 4.1
to have it large
  • UK
9.6
to party
  • Informal
298 3.0
to celebrate
∞ 1.4
low-key
  • Informal
23 5.0

Surface Forms

have it large infinitive
had it large past
had it large past participle
having it large present participle
has it large third person singular

Morphology

have + it + large

The parts 'have' (to experience/hold) and 'large' (big, extravagant) give a partial clue that the phrase involves experiencing something on a big scale, so a learner could infer a general sense of enjoying oneself. However, the dummy pronoun 'it' and the informal idiomatic pattern 'have it large' (meaning celebrate or party extravagantly) is not a fully productive compositional pattern and the specific partying nuance is not directly predictable, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Have it large comes from the simple image of having something very big, like a large meal, a big house, or plenty of money, with large showing size and plenty. So to have it large means to 'celebrate' or 'enjoy oneself' in a big, often loud and generous way.