generally

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gen·er·al·ly

(jĕn′ər-ə-lē)

adv.

1. Popularly; widely: generally known.

a. As a rule; usually: The child generally has little to say.

b. For the most part: a generally boring speech.

3. Without reference to particular instances or details; not specifically: generally speaking.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

generally

(ˈdʒɛnrəlɪ)

adv

1. usually; as a rule

2. commonly or widely

3. without reference to specific details or facts; broadly

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gen•er•al•ly

(ˈdʒɛn ər ə li)

adv.

1. usually; ordinarily.

2. with respect to the larger part; for the most part: a generally favorable outlook.

3. without reference to particular persons, situations, etc., that may be an exception: generally speaking.

[1250–1300]

syn: See often.

generally

– mainly

1. 'generally'

Generally means 'usually', 'in most cases', or 'on the whole'.

Paperback books are generally cheapest.

His answer was generally correct.

2. 'mainly'

Don't use generally to say that something is true about most of something, or about most of the people or things in a group. Use mainly.

The bedroom is mainly blue.

The people in the audience were mainly from Senegal or Mali.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adv.	1.	generally - usually; as a rule; "by and large it doesn't rain much here" by and large, more often than not, mostly
	2.	generally - without distinction of one from others; "he is interested in snakes in general" in general, in the main specifically - in distinction from others; "a program specifically for teenagers"; "he is interested specifically in poisonous snakes"
	3.	generally - without regard to specific details or exceptions; "he interprets the law broadly" broadly, broadly speaking, loosely

generally

adverb

1. broadly, mainly, mostly, principally, on the whole, predominantly, in the main, for the most part University teachers generally have admitted a lack of enthusiasm about their subjects.

2. usually, commonly, typically, regularly, normally, on average, on the whole, for the most part, almost always, in most cases, by and large, ordinarily, as a rule, habitually, conventionally, customarily As women we generally say and feel too much about these things.
usually rarely, occasionally, unusually

3. commonly, widely, publicly, universally, extensively, popularly, conventionally, customarily It is generally believed that drinking red wine in moderation is beneficial.
commonly individually, particularly

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

generally

adverb

In an expected or customary manner; for the most part:

commonly, consistently, customarily, frequently, habitually, naturally, normally, often, regularly, routinely, typically, usually.

Idioms: as usual, per usual.

Translations

بصورة عامّهعَادَةً

obecněobvyklecelkem

generelt

allgemein generell gewöhnlich hauptsächlich meist

γενικά

generalmente por lo general en generalen general lo general

yleensäyleisestitavallisesti

généralement ordinairement

općenito

általában

almennt; venjulega

generalmente in genere di solito

一般に

일반적으로

over het algemeen

generelt som regel

ogólniepowszechniez regułyzazwyczaj zwykle

geralmente

в целом вообще широко

na splošnoobičajno

i allmänhet

โดยทั่วไป

genellikle

nói chung

一般地通常

generally

[ˈdʒenərəlɪ] ADV

1. (= on the whole) → en general, en líneas generales
generally, the course is okay → en general or en líneas generales el curso está bien
his account was generally accurate → su relato fue en general or en líneas generales exacto
they broke the toys, fought, and generally misbehaved → rompieron los juguetes, se pelearon y en general se portaron mal

2. (= usually) → generalmente, por lo general
we generally meet on Tuesdays → generalmente or por lo general nos reunimos los martes

3. (= widely) → generalmente
a generally accepted definition → una definición generalmente aceptada → una definición aceptada por casi todo el mundo
it is generally believed that → la mayoría de la gente cree que ... → generalmente, se cree que ...
it's not yet generally available (on sale) → no está todavía a la venta or en el mercado

4. generally speaking → por lo general, en términos generales

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

generally

[ˈdʒɛnrəli] adv

(= usually) → généralement
I generally go shopping on Saturday → Généralement, je fais mes courses le samedi.

(= overall) → dans l'ensemble

(= by most people) [accepted, regarded, thought] → communément

(= in most cases) → généralement

generally speaking (= as a rule) → en règle généraleGeneral Manager general manager n → directeur/trice m/f général(e)general meeting n → assemblée f généralegeneral practice n

(= work of general doctor) → médecine f générale
to be in general practice → être généraliste

(= organization) → cabinet m de médecine généralegeneral practitioner n → (médecin m) généraliste m
Who's your general practitioner?
BUT Qui est votre médecin traitant?.general public n
the general public → le grand publicgeneral-purpose [ˌdʒɛnrəlˈpɜː^rpəs] adj [tool, substance] → universel(le); [dictionary] → général(e)general science n (at school) physique, chimie et biologiegeneral strike n → grève f généraleGeneral Studies npl (British) cours de culture générale pour élèves spécialisés

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

generally

adv

(= on the whole, for the most part) → im Großen und Ganzen; this is generally true → das trifft im Großen und Ganzen zu

(= usually, as a rule) → im Allgemeinen, meist; they are generally cheapest → sie sind meist or in der Regel am billigsten

(= widely) accepted, recognized → allgemein; available → überall, allgemein

(= in general) → im Allgemeinen; information on things generally → allgemeine Informationen; a few words on grants generally → ein paar Worte zu Stipendien allgemein or im Allgemeinen; generally speaking → im Allgemeinen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

generally

[ˈdʒɛn/ərəlɪ] adv (usually) → in genere, di solito, generalmente; (for the most part) → nel complesso
he's generally disliked → è antipatico a tutti
generally speaking → in genere

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

general

(ˈdʒenərəl) adjective

1. of, involving etc all, most or very many people, things etc. The general feeling is that he is stupid; His general knowledge is good although he is not good at mathematics.

2. covering a large number of cases. a general rule.

3. without details. I'll just give you a general idea of the plan.

4. (as part of an official title) chief. the Postmaster General.

noun

in the British army, (a person of) the rank next below field marshal. General Smith.

ˈgeneralize, ˈgeneralise verb

1. to make a general rule etc that can be applied to many cases, based on a number of cases. He's trying to generalize from only two examples.

2. to talk (about something) in general terms. We should stop generalizing and discuss each problem separately.

ˌgeneraliˈzation, ˌgeneraliˈsation noun

ˈgenerally adverb

usually; by most people; on the whole. He is generally disliked; He generally wins.

General Certificate of EducationGCEgeneral election

an election in which the voters in every constituency are involved.

general practitionerGPgeneral store

a shop that sells a wide range of goods.

as a general rule

usually; in most cases. As a general rule, we don't employ unskilled workers.

in general

usually; in most cases; most of (a group of people etc). People in general were not very sympathetic; People were in general not very sympathetic.

the general public

the people of a town, country etc, considered as a group.

generally

→ عَادَةً obecně generelt meist γενικά generalmente yleensä généralement općenito generalmente 一般に 일반적으로 over het algemeen generelt ogólnie geralmente в целом i allmänhet โดยทั่วไป genellikle nói chung 通常

References in classic literature ?

In the present book, it should perhaps be added, the word Literature is generally interpreted in the strict sense, as including only writing of permanent significance and beauty.

It aims largely to interest and delight, to throw over life a pleasing glamor; it generally deals with love or heroic adventure; and it generally locates its scenes and characters in distant times and places, where it can work unhampered by our consciousness of the humdrum actualities of our daily experience.

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The women are equally expert with the men in managing the canoe, and generally take the helm.

The former, continually on horseback scouring the plains, gaining their food by hardy exercise, and subsisting chiefly on flesh, are generally tall, sinewy, meagre, but well formed, and of bold and fierce deportment: the latter, lounging about the river banks, or squatting and curved up in their canoes, are generally low in stature, ill-shaped, with crooked legs, thick ankles, and broad flat feet.

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For, after a long series of military successes, or diligent and skilful labours, it is generally found that the more intelligent among the Artisan and Soldier classes manifest a slight increase of their third side or base, and a shrinkage of the two other sides.

It is generally found possible -- by a little artificial compression or expansion on the part of the State physicians -- to make some of the more intelligent leaders of a rebellion perfectly Regular, and to admit them at once into the privileged classes; a much larger number, who are still below the standard, allured by the prospect of being ultimately ennobled, are induced to enter the State Hospitals, where they are kept in honourable confinement for life; one or two alone of the more obstinate, foolish, and hopelessly irregular are led to execution.

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And irresolute princes, to avoid present dangers, generally follow the neutral path, and are generally ruined.

In some of the larger towns there are artels of a much more complex kind-- permanent associations, possessing large capital, and pecuniarily responsible for the acts of the individual members." The word "artel," despite its apparent similarity, has, Mr Aylmer Maude assures me, no connection with "ars" or "arte." Its root is that of the verb "rotisya," to bind oneself by an oath; and it is generally admitted to be only another form of "rota," which now signifies a "regimental company." In both words the underlying idea is that of a body of men united by an oath.

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As writers of travels among barbarous communities are generally very diffuse on these subjects, he deems it right to advert to what may be considered a culpable omission.

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They seldom have floors, and never glazed windows; but are generally pretty well roofed.

View in context

Hence, also, we can see that when a plant or animal is placed in a new country amongst new competitors, though the climate may be exactly the same as in its former home, yet the conditions of its life will generally be changed in an essential manner.

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First, that men mark when they hit, and never mark when they miss; as they do generally also of dreams.