Nearby Words
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.
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Most
is always a great word to know.
So is pill. Does it mean:
| a tiresomely disagreeable person |
| any remarkable or outstanding person or thing |
adverb, superl. of much with more as compar.
Idioms9.
10.
very: a most puzzling case.
11.
Informal. almost or nearly.
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:
before 900; Middle English most(e), Old English māst; replacing Middle English mest(e), Old English mǣst; cognate with German meist, Gothic maists. See more
before 900; Middle English most(e), Old English māst; replacing Middle English mest(e), Old English mǣst; cognate with German meist, Gothic maists. See more
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. EXPANDIn 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
COLLAPSE
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. EXPANDIn 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
COLLAPSE
Example Sentences
- Most inventors and business leaders are lucky if they create one product that changes the way people do things.
- Most teaching statements are written by people who-let's be honest-don't really know that much about teaching.
- Most of the rest of the country is a long way off such measures.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
-most
a combining form of most occurring in a series of superlatives: foremost; utmost.
Origin:
Middle English -most; replacing Middle English, Old English -mest, double superlative suffix, equivalent to -ma superlative suffix (as in Old English forma first; compare Latin prīmus) + -est1; later identified with most
Middle English -most; replacing Middle English, Old English -mest, double superlative suffix, equivalent to -ma superlative suffix (as in Old English forma first; compare Latin prīmus) + -est1; later identified with most
iadjective
1.
constituting or forming a large number; numerous: many people.
2.
noting each one of a large number (usually followed by a or an): For many a day it rained.
noun
3.
a large or considerable number of persons or things: A good many of the beggars were blind.
4.
the many, the greater part of humankind.
pronoun
5.
many persons or things: Many of the beggars were blind. Many were unable to attend.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English mani, meni, Old English manig, menig; akin to Old Saxon, Old High German manag, menig, Danish mange, Gothic manags
before 900; Middle English mani, meni, Old English manig, menig; akin to Old Saxon, Old High German manag, menig, Danish mange, Gothic manags
Related forms
o·ver·man·y, adjective
Synonyms
1. multifarious, multitudinous, myriad; divers, sundry, various. Many, innumerable, manifold, numerous imply the presence or succession of a large number of units. Many is a popular and common word for this idea: many times. Numerous, a more formal word, refers to a great number or to very many units: letters too numerous to mention. Innumerable denotes a number that is beyond count or, more loosely, that is extremely difficult to count: the innumerable stars in the sky. Manifold implies not only that the number is large but also that there is variety or complexity.
1. multifarious, multitudinous, myriad; divers, sundry, various. Many, innumerable, manifold, numerous imply the presence or succession of a large number of units. Many is a popular and common word for this idea: many times. Numerous, a more formal word, refers to a great number or to very many units: letters too numerous to mention. Innumerable denotes a number that is beyond count or, more loosely, that is extremely difficult to count: the innumerable stars in the sky. Manifold implies not only that the number is large but also that there is variety or complexity.
Antonyms
1. few, single.
1. few, single.
adjective
1.
great in quantity, measure, or degree: too much cake.
noun
2.
a great quantity, measure, or degree: Much of his research was unreliable.
3.
a great, important, or notable thing or matter: The house is not much to look at.
adverb
Idioms4.
to a great extent or degree; greatly; far: to talk too much; much heavier.
5.
nearly, approximately, or about: This is much like the others.
6.
make much of,
a.
to treat, represent, or consider as of great importance: to make much of trivial matters.
b.
to treat with great consideration; show fondness for; flatter.
7.
much as,
a.
almost the same as: We need exercise, much as we need nourishment.
b.
however much: Much as she wanted to stay at the party, she had to leave.
8.
not so much, Informal. (an expression of dismissive scorn, ambivalence, or skepticism): Attractive? Yes. Smart? Not so much. Is the world coming to an end? Yeah, not so much.
Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English muche, moche, apocopated variant of muchel, mochel, Old English mycel; replacing Middle English miche(l), Old English micel great, much (compare mickle), cognate with Old Norse mikill, Gothic mikils, Greek mégal-, suppletive stem of mégas great
1150–1200; Middle English muche, moche, apocopated variant of muchel, mochel, Old English mycel; replacing Middle English miche(l), Old English micel great, much (compare mickle), cognate with Old Norse mikill, Gothic mikils, Greek mégal-, suppletive stem of mégas great
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To most
Collins
World English Dictionary
| most (məʊst) | |
| —determiner | |
| 1. | a. a great majority of; nearly all: most people like eggs |
| b. (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): most of them don't know; most of it is finished | |
| 2. | the most |
| a. many the superlative of much : you have the most money; the most apples | |
| b. (as pronoun): the most he can afford is two pounds | |
| 3. | at most, at the most at the maximum: that girl is four at the most |
| 4. | for the most part generally |
| 5. | make the most of to use to the best advantage: she makes the most of her accent |
| 6. | than most than most others: the leaves are greener than most |
| 7. | slang chiefly (US) the most wonderful: that chick's the most |
| —adv | |
| 8. | the most used to form the superlative of some adjectives and adverbs: the most beautiful daughter of all |
| 9. | the superlative of much : people welcome a drink most after work |
| 10. | (intensifier): a most absurd story |
| 11. | informal, dialect or (US), (Canadian) almost: most every town in this state; John is the more intelligent of the two; he is the most intelligent of the students |
| usage More and most should be distinguished when used in comparisons. More applies to cases involving two persons, objects, etc, most to cases involving three or more | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
many
O.E. monig, manig, from P.Gmc. *managaz (cf. O.S. manag, Swed. mången, O.Fris. manich, Du. menig, Ger. manch, Goth. manags), from PIE *monogho- (cf. O.C.S. munogu "much, many," O.Ir. menicc, Welsh mynych "frequent"). Pronunciation altered by influence of any (see manifold).
EXPANDmost
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. Related: Mostly. Double superlative mostest is 1885, from U.S. Southern and Black English.
much
c.1200, worn down by loss of unaccented last syllable from M.E. muchel, from O.E. micel "great in amount or extent," from P.Gmc. *mekilaz, from PIE *meg- "great." For vowel evolution, see bury.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
| MOST magneto-optical storage technology |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
Most
city, northwestern Czech Republic. It lies along the Bilina River, southwest of Utsi nad Labem. It was mentioned in early 11th-century German documents as Brux, which means "bridge," as does its Czech name. This probably refers to an ancient structure spanning marshy ground near the old town.
Learn more about Most with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Idioms & Phrases
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