many
Existing in large number; numerous.
Adjective
- Existing in large number; numerous.
- Let’s take these fears about a rich, strong China to their logical extreme. The U.S. and Chinese governments are always disagreeing—about trade, foreign policy, the environment. Someday the disagreement could be severe....
Origin
From Middle English many, mani, moni, from Old English maniġ, moniġ, maneġ (“many”), from Proto-West Germanic *manag, from Proto-Germanic *managaz (“many; much”), from Proto-Indo-European *menegʰ-, *mengʰ- (“many, sufficient”) or Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂- (“big, great”). Cognates Cognate with Scots mony (“many”), Yola many (“many”), North Frisian manag, manig, mäning (“many”), Alemannic German meng (“many”), Central Franconian mannich, männich (“many”), Dutch menig (“many”), German manch (“many, some”), Low German männich, männig (“many”), Luxembourgish muench, munch, munnech (“many”), Danish mangen (“many”), Faroese mangur (“many”), Icelandic margur (“many”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk mang, mange (“many”), Swedish mången (“many”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌲𐍃 (manags, “many; much”), French maint (“many”); also Cornish menowgh (“frequent, often”), Irish minic (“frequently, often”), Manx...
Forms
Synonyms
Related
Determiner
- before a countable noun: A large, indefinite number of.
- Not many such people enjoyed playing chess.
- There are very many different ways to cook a meal.
- We spent many hours and days training, but running clubs boast many hundreds of faster members.
Synonyms: numerous
Antonyms: a couple of a few a handful of several one no zero
- before a countable noun: (in combinations such as 'as many', 'so many', 'this many') Used to indicate, demonstrate or compare the number of people or things.
- We don't need this many bananas. Put some back.
- There may be as many as ten million species of insect.
- I don't have as many friends as my sister does.
Forms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived
a fair booty makes many a thief a good many a great many have a few too many have one's fingers in many pies how many languages do you speak how many siblings do you have infinitely many in so many words know how many beans make five longways for as many as will manifold maniness maniverse man of many parts many a mickle makes a muckle many an many and varied many and various many another many a time many a time and oft many a time and often many a times
Noun
- A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.
- Democracy must balance the rights of the few against the will of the many.
Synonyms: crowd mob canaille commonality commonalty demos everyone general public great unhosed great unwashed herd hoi polloi lower class many masses multitude odds and sods peasantry plebs populace proletariat rabble rank and file riffraff
- A considerable number.
- I know that my mother cried a many of times from decisions I made. - 2005, Florence Dyer, A Mother's Cry!: Touches the Very Heart of God, page 22:
Synonyms: abundance buttload deal battalion arseload assload bellyload boatload brimful busload bucketful bucketload butt-ton bumload cartload crapflood crapload fuckload fuckton fuckwad gob great deal hantle heap
Forms
Pronoun
- A large, indefinite number of people or things.
- Many are called, but few are chosen.
- Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us... - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […],...
- By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in...