в общем

• В ОБЩЕМ{{}}

[PrepP; Invar; sent adv (often parenth)]

=====

⇒ generally speaking, considering everything together, taking everything important into consideration:

- on the whole;

- by and large;

- all in all;

- all things considered;

- in general;

- [in limited contexts] in sum;

- taken as a whole;

- [when summarizing] in short;

- put simply.

     ♦ [Астров:] Переходим к третьей части: картина уезда в настоящем... От прежних выселков, хуторков, скитов, мельниц и следа нет. В общем, картина постепенного и несомненного вырождения... (Чехов 3). [A.:] Now let's go to the third section: a map of the district as it is today. ...There's not a trace of the settlements, farms, hermitages, water mills. On the whole it is a picture of gradual and unmistakable degeneration... (За).

     ♦ Я спросил хозяев, не трудно ли им живется. Они сказали, что, в общем-то, нелегко (Войнович 1). I asked our hosts if life was difficult for them. They said by and large it wasn't easy (1a).

     ♦ Вечером должны были идти в гости к Володе, моему кузену... Володя и Ляля относились к нам как будто дружески, но с какой-то внутренней настороженностью... В общем, родственники как родственники (Трифонов 5). That evening we were supposed to visit my cousin Volodya. ... Volodya and Lyalya were friendly though somewhat guarded in their relations with us. ...All in all, they were relatives like any other relatives (5a).

     ♦ В общем-то, лицо Мансурова было довольно красивым, особенно на первый взгляд... (Залыгин 1). Taken as a whole Mansurov's face was quite handsome, especially at first glance... (1a).

     ♦ Ух, дядя Митя веселился на свадьбе! Читал куплеты, разыгрывал с тещей сценки, пел, плясал - в общем, был душой общества (Аксёнов 10). Oh, how Old Mitya enjoyed himself at the wedding! He recited couplets, acted scenes with his mother-in-law, sang and danced-in short, he was the life and soul of the party (10a).