I. |məch adjective
( more (|)mō(ə)r, -ȯ(ə)r, -ȯə, -ȯ(ə) ; most (|)mōst)
Etymology: Middle English muche, miche, from muchel, michel great, large, much, from Old English micel, mycel; akin to Old High German mihhil great, large, Old Norse mikill, Gothic mikils, Latin magnus, Greek megas, Sanskrit mahat
1.
a. : that exists or is present in a great quantity or amount or to a considerable extent or degree
has much money
spent much time
there is much truth in what you say
b. : that exists or is present in an indicated relative quantity or amount or to an indicated relative extent or degree — used with a qualifying adverb
how much money have you got
has taken too much time
there is as much validity in the one theory as in the other
2. : many
much thanks
came out against him with much people — Num 20:20 (Authorized Version)
3. : very good
wouldn't think I was much on literature — C.B.Kelland
he's not so much on looks, but he really is charming — Atlantic
II. adverb
( more “ ; most “)
Etymology: Middle English muche, miche, from muche, miche, adjective
1.
a.
(1) : to a great degree or extent : very considerably or notably : greatly
is much happier now
(2) : very — usually used with adjectival past participles
much interested
much pleased by the compliment
much gratified
and in negative constructions
not much good at all
b.
(1) : frequently , often
went much to the theater
(2) : for a considerable length of time
was with her much , but didn't find out anything
: long
didn't get there much before midnight
2.
a. : just about : approximately
the patient was much the same as he had been earlier
comes to much the same thing — George Sampson
the two writers, who are much of an age — Times Literary Supplement
b. : nearly
speaks and thinks very much as his father used to
III. ˈməch noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English muche, miche, from muche, miche, adjective
1. : a great quantity or amount or extent or degree : a great deal
learned much from this experience
gave away much of what he owned
— often used in negative or interrogative constructions with a following dependent specifying phrase consisting of a generalized category introduced by of a and used typically to belittle or query the extent to which something exists in the indicated category
wasn't much of a teacher
2. : something considerable or important or significant or impressive
the evidence didn't amount to much
thought it much to have made even a little progress
was not much to look at
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
dialect : to make much of:
a. : to show affection for (as by petting or caressing)
much that dog and see won't he come along — Horace Kephart
b. : coddle
my mother shielded me and muched me — W.A.White