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at most

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most

  [mohst]
Use at most in a Sentence
–adjective, superl. of much or many with more as compar.
1. in the greatest quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: to win the most votes.
2. in the majority of instances: Most operations are successful.
3. greatest, as in size or extent: the most talent.
–noun
4. the greatest quantity, amount, or degree; the utmost: The most I can hope for is a passing grade.
5. the greatest number or the majority of a class specified: Most of his writing is rubbish.
6. the greatest number: The most this room will seat is 150.
7. the majority of persons: to be more sensitive than most.
8. the most, Slang. the ultimate in something: He's the most. That movie was the most.
–adverb, superl. of much with more as compar.
9. in or to the greatest extent or degree (in this sense often used before adjectives and adverbs, and regularly before those of more than two syllables, to form superlative phrases having the same force and effect as the superlative degree formed by the termination -est): most rapid; most wisely.
10. very: a most puzzling case.
11. Informal. almost or nearly.
—Idioms
12. at the most, at the maximum. Also, at most.
13. for the most part. part (def. 34).
14. make the most of, to use to greatest advantage; utilize fully: to make the most of an opportunity.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME most(e), OE māst; r. ME mest(e), OE mǣst; c. G meist, Goth maists. See more

Synonyms:
11. See almost.

Usage note:
11. The adverb most, a shortened form of almost, is far from being either a recent development or an Americanism. It goes back to the 16th century in England, where it is now principally a dialect form. In American English it occurs before such pronouns as all, anyone, anybody, everyone, and everybody; the adjectives all, any, and every; and adverbs like anywhere and everywhere: Most everyone around here is related to everyone else. You can find that plant most anywhere. This use of most is often objected to, but it is common in the informal speech of educated persons. It is less common in edited writing except in representations of speech.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

most 
O.E. mast "greatest number, amount, extent," earlier mæst, from P.Gmc. *maistaz (cf. O.S. mest, O.N. mestr, Ger. meist, Goth. maists "most"), superlative form of P.Gmc. *maiz, root of O.E. ma, mara (see more). Used in O.E. as superl. of micel "great, large" (see mickle). Vowel influenced by more. Original sense of "greatest" survives in phrase for the most part (c.1400). Slang meaning "the best, extremely good" is attested from 1953. Double superlative mostest is 1885, from U.S. Southern and Black English.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

at most

Also, at the most or at the outside. At the largest amount, the furthest limit; also, in the most extreme case. For example, She'll be finished in two weeks at the most, or It'll take two weeks at the outside, or At most the chef uses a tiny bit of pepper. The terms with most date from the 1300s; at the outside from the mid-1800s. Also see at best.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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