■ noun
1》 a coherent body of matter with no definite shape.
↘any of the main portions in a painting that each have some unity in colour, lighting, etc.
2》 a large number of people or objects gathered together: a ~ of cyclists.
↘a large amount of material.
3》 ( the ~ of ) the majority of.
↘( the ~es ) the ordinary people.
4》 Physics the quantity of matter which a body contains, as measured by its acceleration under a given force or by the force exerted on it by a gravitational field.
↘(in general use) weight.
■ adjective relating to, done by, or affecting large numbers of people or things: a ~ exodus of refugees.
■ verb assemble or cause to assemble into a single body or ~.
Phrases
in ~ as a body.
in the ~ as a whole.
Derivatives
~less adjective
~y adjective ( literary ).
Origin
ME: from OFr. ~e , from L. ~a , from Gk maza 'barley cake'.