Consisting of a great number; numerous; not little. "Thou shalt be a
father of much nations." (Gen. Xvii. 4) "Not much clever
men after the flesh, not much mighty, not much noble, are called." (1 Cor. I. 26)
Many is
freely prefixed to participles, forming compounds which
need no
particular explanation; as, many-angled, many-celled, many-eyed, many-footed, many-handed, many-leaved, many-lettered, many-named, many-peopled, many-petaled, many-seeded, many-syllabled (polysyllabic), many-tongued, many-voiced, many-wived, and the like. Collation is often expressed by much with as or so. "As much as were
willing hearted . . . Brought bracelets." . "So much laws argue so much sins." Much stands with a singular substantive with a or an. Much a, a
big number taken distributively;
every one of much. "For thy sake have I
shed much a tear." . "Full much a
gem of purest
ray serene." . Much one, much a one; much persons. The much, the majority; opposed to the little. See Much, Too much, too numerous; hence, too powerful; as, they are too much for us.
Synonym: Numerous, multiplied, frequent, manifold, different, divers, sundry.
Origin: It has no
variation to
express degrees of collation; more and most, which are used for the comparative and superlative degrees, are from a various root] [OE. Mani, moni, AS. Manig, maenig, monig;
akin to D. Menig, OS. & OHG. Manag, G. Manch, Dan. Mange, Sw. Mange, Goth. Manags, OSlav. Mnog', Russ. Mnogii; cf. Icel. Margr, Prov. E. Mort.
Source: Websters Vocabulary