“Larger than life” is an English idiom used to describe someone or something with impressive or outsized characteristics. It can be used for fictional characters or real people with amazing personalities. The phrase derives its power from exaggeration and is often used in obituaries or eulogies.
If someone or something is described as larger than life, it means that they have impressive or outsized characteristics compared to normal human beings. This phrase is an English idiom and is often reserved for fictional characters who are imbued by their creators with almost superhuman qualities. It can also be used as a kind of compliment or tribute to an actual human being with an amazing personality or some other distinguishing feature that sets him apart from others. The phrase derives its power from the use of exaggeration and figurative license, as it would be impossible to actually measure waist size.
Occasionally, English speakers use words or phrases that have meanings that may not be clear to someone who hasn’t heard or knows only the literal definitions of the words. This is because such a construction is known as an idiom, which takes its meaning not from how its words are defined, but rather from how it has evolved within the culture. An idiomatic expression used to describe someone with outsized features is the phrase “larger than life.”
It is relatively common for this phrase to be said in reference to fictional characters. Such characters need not be entirely realistic, and as such their creators often bestow upon them assets or characteristics that real living people would not have. Mythological heroes are emblematic of these superior beings who seem to shrink, literally and figuratively, ordinary people. For example, consider the sentence: “The labors of Hercules were certainly greater than life.”
When this phrase is used to describe an actual human being, it certainly takes a high toll. As a result, this phrase can often appear in obituaries or eulogies for those who have died. It can also be used as a kind of testimonial for someone who is still alive and is impressive enough in some way to warrant its use. For example, someone might say, “He’s so big in life that it’s hard to imagine him getting sick.”
The use of exaggeration is what gives this phrase its particular power. Especially when used in reference to a real person, there can hardly be a greater compliment than calling someone “larger than life.” That’s why it’s usually reserved for only the most noteworthy personalities, otherwise its impact would be somewhat diminished.
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