I. ˌmenē, -ni sometimes _mən- adjective
( more (|)mō(ə)r, -ȯ(ə)r, -ōəˌ-ȯ(ə) ; most (|)mōst)
Etymology: Middle English many, mony many a, many, from Old English manig, mænig, monig; akin to Old Saxon & Old High German manag many a, many, Old Norse mangr, Gothic manags many a, many, Old Irish menicc frequent, Sanskrit magha gift, Old Slavic mŭnogŭ much
1. : consisting of or amounting to a large but indefinite number : not few
many people expressed fear
worked hard for many years
a country with many natural resources
the many advantages of an education
2. : one of a large but indefinite number regarded distributively — used before a, an, or another or in an inverted construction to modify a singular noun
many a man hoped for better days
remained a mystery for many a year
many another student made the same mistake
many is the time she scolded the boy
•
- as many
II. pronoun, plural in construction
Etymology: Middle English many, mony many a one, many, from Old English manig, mænig, monig, from manig, mænig, monig, adjective
: a large number of persons or things
many are called but few are chosen — Mt 22:14 (Revised Standard Version)
many of the statements are true
III. noun, plural in construction
Etymology: many (I)
1. : a large but indefinite number of units or individuals
a good many of the books were novels
a great many of the tourists were from the East
2. : the great majority of people : masses , multitude — often used with preceding the
nothing but contempt for the many
3. obsolete : company , host , retinue
the chiefs divide and wheeling east and west before their many ride — John Dryden
4. usually capitalized : something that is manifold : plurality
philosophers have largely proclaimed the One to be reality and the Many to be appearance — H.M.Kallen