many
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Alternative forms
Etymology
From Middle English many, mani, moni, from Old English maniġ, moniġ, maneġ (“many”), from Proto-West Germanic *manag, from Proto-Germanic *managaz (“some, much, many”).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots mony (“many”), North Frisian manag, manig, mäning (“many”), Saterland Frisian monig, moonich (“many”), West Frisian mannich, mennich (“some, many”), Dutch menig (“many”), Low German männig (“many”), German manch, mannig- (“many, some”), Old Norse mangr, Norwegian mang, Swedish mången, Danish mangen, French maint (“many”), Russian мно́гий (mnógij), Serbo-Croatian and Polish mnogi, Czech mnohý, Scottish Gaelic minig
The noun is from Middle English manye, *menye, from Old English manigeo, menigu (“company, multitude, host”), from Proto-West Germanic *managu, *managī, from Proto-Germanic *managō, *managį̄ (“multitude”), from the same root as the determiner. Cognate with Middle Low German menige, menie, menje (“multitude”), Russian много (mnogo), Serbo-Croatian mnogo.
Pronunciation
Determiner
many (comparative more, superlative most)
- An indefinite large number of.
- Synonym: numerous
- Antonyms: a couple of, a few, a handful of, several; one; no, zero
- Hypernyms: multiple, various
- Hyponym: countless
- Not many such people enjoyed playing chess.
- There are very many different ways to cook a meal.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 17:4:
- Thou shalt be a father of many nations.
- 1864–65, Charles Dickens, chapter 15, in Our Mutual Friend:
- I did it in a moment of conceit and folly—one of my many such moments—one of my many such hours—years.
- 1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter III, in The Squire’s Daughter, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published 1919, →OCLC:
- The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line, which seems to have shown some ingenuity in avoiding them, […].
- 2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:
- Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.
- (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.
Usage notes
- Many is used only with the plural of countable nouns (except in the combination many a). Its counterpart used with uncountable nouns is much. Many and much merge in the comparative and superlative forms, which are more and most for both determiners.
- It was once common to use the indefinite article with many (very a many years ago), as it still is with few (a few good men). However, this has fallen out of favor except in formations such as "a great/good many."
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
- 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
- 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
- many at times
- many-banded krait
- many-bodied
- many-body problem
- many-coloured
- many-eyed
- many-faceted
- many-handed
- many-handedly
- many-handedness
- many hands make light work
- many happies
- many happy returns
- manyhood
- many is the time
- many-kinded
- many-layered
- many moons ago
- manyness
- many-partedness
- many-plumed moth
- many-sided
- many-sidedness
- manysome
- many-sorted logic
- many-splendored
- many-stemmed
- many such cases
- many thanks
- many time
- many times
- many-tongued
- many-to-one
- many-valued logic
- many-worlds interpretation
- one too many
- there are many ways to skin a cat
- there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle
- there's many a slip between the cup and the lip
- there's many a slip twixt cup and lip
- there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip
- too many
- too many balls in the air
- too many chefs spoil the broth
- too many chiefs and not enough Indians
- too many chiefs and not enough indians
- too many cooks spoil the broth
- too many cooks spoil the soup
- too many cooks spoil the stew
- wear too many hats
- wrong on so many levels
Translations
an indefinite large number of
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Pronoun
many
- An indefinite large number of people or things.
- Many are called, but few are chosen.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 1:1:
- Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us...
- 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 4, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
- 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 demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.
Antonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
an indefinite large number of people or things
|
Noun
many (plural (rare) manies)
- A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.
- Synonyms: crowd, mob; see also Thesaurus:commonalty
- Democracy must balance the rights of the few against the will of the many.
- A considerable number.
- Synonyms: abundance, buttload, deal; see also Thesaurus:lot
- 2005, Florence Dyer, A Mother's Cry!: Touches the Very Heart of God, page 22:
- I know that my mother cried a many of times from decisions I made.
Translations
a collective mass of people
|
Adjective
many (comparative more, superlative most)
- Existing in large number; numerous.
- 2008 January/February, James Fallows, “The $1.4 Trillion Question”, in The Atlantic Monthly:
- 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. Taiwan, Tibet, North Korea, Iran—the possibilities are many, though Taiwan always heads the list.
Synonyms
- multiple, several; see also Thesaurus:manifold
See also
References
- “many”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams
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Pronoun
many
- (personal) you
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
many (definite accusative manyny, plural manylar)
Declension
Declension of many
Further reading
Etymology
From Middle English mani, from Old English maniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *manag.
Pronunciation
Adjective
many
- many
- 1867, “A YOLA ZONG”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 6, page 86:
- Many a bra draught by Tommeen was ee-maate;
- Many a brave stroke by Tommy was made;
References
- Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 86
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