| What does most mean? | we found 5 entries for the meaning of most |
More \More\, a., compar. [Positive wanting; superl. Most.]
[OE. more, mare, and (orig. neut. and adv.) mo, ma, AS.
m[=a]ra, and (as neut. and adv.) m[=a]; akin to D. meer, OS.
m[=e]r, G. mehr, OHG. m[=e]ro, m[=e]r, Icel. meiri, meirr,
Dan. meere, meer, Sw. mera, mer, Goth. maiza, a., mais, adv.,
and perh. to L. major greater, compar. of magnus great, and
magis, adv., more. [root]103. Cf. Most, uch, Major.]
1. Greater; superior; increased; as: (a) Greater in quality, amount, degree, quality, and the
like; with the singular.
He gat more money. --Chaucer.
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.
--Milton.
Note: More, in this sense, was formerly used in connection
with some other qualifying word, -- a, the, this,
their, etc., -- which now requires the substitution of
greater, further, or the like, for more.
Whilst sisters nine, which dwell on Parnasse
height, Do make them music for their more
delight. --Spenser.
The more part knew not wherefore they were come
together. --Acts xix.
32.
Wrong not that wrong with a more contempt.
--Shak. (b) Greater in number; exceeding in numbers; -- with the
plural.
The people of the children of Israel are more
and mighter than we. --Ex. i. 9.
2. Additional; other; as, he wept because there were no more
words to conquer.
With open arms received one poet more. --Pope.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | ![]() |
Most \Most\, a., superl. of More. [OE. most, mast, mest, AS.
m?st; akin to D. meest, OS. m[=e]st, G. meist, Icel. mestr,
Goth. maists; a superl. corresponding to E. more. [root]103.
See More, a.]
1. Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in
number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all. ``Most
men will proclaim every one his own goodness.'' --Prov.
xx. 6.
The cities wherein most of his mighty works were
done. --Matt. xi.
20.
2. Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it. ``In
the moste pride.'' --Chaucer.
3. Highest in rank; greatest. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
Note: Most is used as a noun, the words part, portion,
quantity, etc., being omitted, and has the following
1. The greatest value, number, or part;
preponderating portion; highest or chief part. 2. The
utmost; greatest possible amount, degree, or result;
especially in the phrases to make the most of, at the
most, at most.
A quarter of a year or some months at the most.
--Bacon.
A covetous man makes the most of what he has.
--L'Estrange.
For the most part, in reference to the larger part of a
thing, or to the majority of the persons, instances, or
things referred to; as, human beings, for the most part,
are superstitious; the view, for the most part, was
pleasing.
Most an end, generally. See An end, under End, n.
[Obs.]
``She sleeps most an end.'' --Massinger.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | ![]() |
Most \Most\, adv. [AS. m[=ae]st. See Most, a.]
In the greatest or highest degree.
Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites,
were courtiers and prelates. --Milton.
Note: Placed before an adjective or adverb, most is used to
form the superlative degree, being equivalent to the
termination -est; as, most vile, most wicked; most
illustrious; most rapidly. Formerly, and until after
the Elizabethan period of our literature, the use of
the double superlative was common. See More, adv.
The most unkindest cut of all. --Shak.
The most straitest sect of our religion. --Acts
xxvi. 5.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | ![]() |
Much \Much\, a. [Compar. & superl. wanting, but supplied by
More, and Most, from another root.]
[OE. moche, muche,
miche, prob. the same as mochel, muchel, michel, mikel, fr.
AS. micel, mycel; cf. Gr. ?, fem. ?, great, and Icel.
mj["o]k, adv., much. [root]103. See Mickle.]
1. Great in quantity; long in duration; as, much rain has
fallen; much time.
Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and
shalt gather but little in. --Deut.
xxviii. 38.
2. Many in number. [Archaic]
Edom came out against him with much people. --Num.
xx. 20.
3. High in rank or position. [Obs.]
--Chaucer.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | ![]() |
Most \Most\, adv.
Most-favored-nation clause (Diplomacy), a clause, often
inserted in treaties, by which each of the contracting
nations binds itself to grant to the other in certain
stipulated matters the same terms as are then, or may be
thereafter, granted to the nation which receives from it
the most favorable terms in respect of those matters.
There was a ``most-favored-nation'' clause with
provisions for the good treatment of strangers
entering the Republic. --James Bryce.
Steam navigation was secured by the Japanese as far
as Chungking, and under the most-favored-nation
clause the right accrued to us. --A. R.
Colquhoun.
Mother's Day \Moth"er's Day\
A day appointed for the honor and uplift of motherhood by the
loving remembrance of each person of his mother through the
performance of some act of kindness, visit, tribute, or
letter. The founder of the day is Anna Jarvis, of
Philadelphia, who designated the second Sunday in May, or for
schools the second Friday, as the time, and a white carnation
as the badge.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) | ![]() |
|
|
|
© Dictionary.net All Rights Reserved
|
|
|