"big picture" meaning in English

See big picture in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /bɪɡ ˈpɪk(t)ʃɚ/ [General-American] Audio: en-au-big picture.ogg [Australia] Forms: big pictures [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun}} big picture (plural big pictures)
  1. The totality of a situation. Synonyms (totality of situation): grand scheme Translations (totality of a situation): 大局 (dàjú) (Chinese Mandarin), celkový obraz [masculine] (Czech), kokonaisuus (Finnish), vue d’ensemble [feminine] (French), Gesamtbild [neuter] (German), Gesamteindruck [masculine] (German), 大局 (taikyoku) (alt: たいきょく) (Japanese), 대국 (daeguk) (alt: 大局) (Korean), о́бщая карти́на (óbščaja kartína) [feminine] (Russian), о́бщая ситуа́ция (óbščaja situácija) [feminine] (Russian), о́бщая обстано́вка (óbščaja obstanóvka) [feminine] (Russian), обстано́вка в це́лом (obstanóvka v célom) [feminine] (Russian), impresión general [feminine] (Spanish), visión general [feminine] (Spanish), visión de conjunto [feminine] (Spanish), panorama general [masculine] (Spanish), idea general [masculine] (Spanish), büyük fotoğraf (Turkish), büyük resim (Turkish), đại cục (alt: 大局) (Vietnamese)
    Sense id: en-big_picture-en-noun-en:totality_English Disambiguation of 'totality of situation': 91 9 0 Disambiguation of 'totality of a situation': 97 3 0
  2. (British, dated) The main film in a double feature. Tags: British, dated
    Sense id: en-big_picture-en-noun-6ZZbRftX Categories (other): British English, English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 6 91 3 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 9 84 7 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 11 81 8
  3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see big, picture. Related terms: bigger fish to fry, bird's-eye view, gestalt, gist, overview, the forest for the trees
    Sense id: en-big_picture-en-noun-JFJrFvWT

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for big picture meaning in English (6.7kB)

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "big pictures",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "big picture (plural big pictures)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941, United States House Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Merchant-marine inquiry forwarders: Executive hearings, page 35",
          "text": "I do not care whether it is placed or not, if I get my stuff to that ship. Now, it is my job to look at the big picture.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1951, US Senate Committee on Armed Services, Military situation in the Far East, page 3089",
          "text": "We need somebody who will overlook the petty details, look at the big picture, decide what is necessary to end the war, make a plan,",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1993, Bill Clinton, Presidential Radio Address - 31 July 1993",
          "text": "I met an executive from Missouri who turned around a failing plant by sharing information with employees about the company's performance. When the employees understood the big picture, they did even better at their jobs.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Kate Chynoweth, Neryl Walker, The Bridesmaid Guide",
          "text": "In the prewedding whirlwind of bridal showers, dress shopping, and parties, even the most budget savvy bridesmaids can overspend by mistake. Because the events span several months, it can be easy to lose track of the big picture and splurge at each event.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 46",
          "text": "Having laid out these big-picture figures, the report then begins its analysis of traffic types against route mileage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The totality of a situation."
      ],
      "id": "en-big_picture-en-noun-en:totality_English",
      "links": [
        [
          "totality",
          "totality"
        ],
        [
          "situation",
          "situation"
        ]
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:totality#English"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "91 9 0",
          "sense": "totality of situation",
          "word": "grand scheme"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "dàjú",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "大局"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "celkový obraz"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "kokonaisuus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "vue d’ensemble"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Gesamtbild"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Gesamteindruck"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "alt": "たいきょく",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "taikyoku",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "大局"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "alt": "大局",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "daeguk",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "대국"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "óbščaja kartína",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "о́бщая карти́на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "óbščaja situácija",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "о́бщая ситуа́ция"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "óbščaja obstanóvka",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "о́бщая обстано́вка"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "obstanóvka v célom",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "обстано́вка в це́лом"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "impresión general"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "visión general"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "visión de conjunto"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "panorama general"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "idea general"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "büyük fotoğraf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "büyük resim"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 3 0",
          "alt": "大局",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "totality of a situation",
          "word": "đại cục"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 91 3",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 84 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 81 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The main film in a double feature."
      ],
      "id": "en-big_picture-en-noun-6ZZbRftX",
      "links": [
        [
          "film",
          "film"
        ],
        [
          "double feature",
          "double feature"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, dated) The main film in a double feature."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "dated"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see big, picture."
      ],
      "id": "en-big_picture-en-noun-JFJrFvWT",
      "links": [
        [
          "big",
          "big#English"
        ],
        [
          "picture",
          "picture#English"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "bigger fish to fry"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "bird's-eye view"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "gestalt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "gist"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "overview"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 100",
          "word": "the forest for the trees"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪɡ ˈpɪk(t)ʃɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-big picture.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/96/En-au-big_picture.ogg/En-au-big_picture.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/En-au-big_picture.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "big picture"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English idioms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "big pictures",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "big picture (plural big pictures)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "bigger fish to fry"
    },
    {
      "word": "bird's-eye view"
    },
    {
      "word": "gestalt"
    },
    {
      "word": "gist"
    },
    {
      "word": "overview"
    },
    {
      "word": "the forest for the trees"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1941, United States House Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Merchant-marine inquiry forwarders: Executive hearings, page 35",
          "text": "I do not care whether it is placed or not, if I get my stuff to that ship. Now, it is my job to look at the big picture.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1951, US Senate Committee on Armed Services, Military situation in the Far East, page 3089",
          "text": "We need somebody who will overlook the petty details, look at the big picture, decide what is necessary to end the war, make a plan,",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1993, Bill Clinton, Presidential Radio Address - 31 July 1993",
          "text": "I met an executive from Missouri who turned around a failing plant by sharing information with employees about the company's performance. When the employees understood the big picture, they did even better at their jobs.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Kate Chynoweth, Neryl Walker, The Bridesmaid Guide",
          "text": "In the prewedding whirlwind of bridal showers, dress shopping, and parties, even the most budget savvy bridesmaids can overspend by mistake. Because the events span several months, it can be easy to lose track of the big picture and splurge at each event.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 46",
          "text": "Having laid out these big-picture figures, the report then begins its analysis of traffic types against route mileage.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The totality of a situation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "totality",
          "totality"
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          "situation"
        ]
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:totality#English"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English dated terms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The main film in a double feature."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "film",
          "film"
        ],
        [
          "double feature",
          "double feature"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, dated) The main film in a double feature."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "dated"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see big, picture."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "big",
          "big#English"
        ],
        [
          "picture",
          "picture#English"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/bɪɡ ˈpɪk(t)ʃɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
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    {
      "audio": "en-au-big picture.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/96/En-au-big_picture.ogg/En-au-big_picture.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/En-au-big_picture.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
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      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "totality of situation",
      "word": "grand scheme"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "dàjú",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "大局"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "celkový obraz"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "kokonaisuus"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "vue d’ensemble"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Gesamtbild"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Gesamteindruck"
    },
    {
      "alt": "たいきょく",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "taikyoku",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "大局"
    },
    {
      "alt": "大局",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "daeguk",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "대국"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "óbščaja kartína",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "о́бщая карти́на"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "óbščaja situácija",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "о́бщая ситуа́ция"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "óbščaja obstanóvka",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "о́бщая обстано́вка"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "obstanóvka v célom",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "обстано́вка в це́лом"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "impresión general"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "visión general"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "visión de conjunto"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "panorama general"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "idea general"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "büyük fotoğraf"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "büyük resim"
    },
    {
      "alt": "大局",
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "totality of a situation",
      "word": "đại cục"
    }
  ],
  "word": "big picture"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-05 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.