as big as a barn—very large:
- The restaurant is as big as a barn—and as plain and welcoming as a farmhouse kitchen.
Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase as big as they come—used of a size not likely to be exceeded: If he did really catch a 20 lb. salmon, he was lucky; that’s about as big as they come.
as big as all outdoors—
1. very vast and spacious:
- The store room is as big as all outdoors.
2. huge; great:
- Bob likes a challenge that’s as big as all outdoors.
Note: Neither expression is related in meaning to the phrase as big as life—(also: as large as life) used of smb. actually present, especially in a place where a person is not supposed to be:
- I thought Tom had gone to Europe. There he is, as big as life.