Much

a. [compar. & superl. wanting, but supplied by MORE and MOST from another root. [O. Eng. mocle, Scot. meycle, miche, A-S. mucel, mycel, micel, Sw. mycken, mycket. Dan. megen, meget. See MICKLE.] Great in quantity or amount; long in duration; many in number; abundant; plenteous.

Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in. Deut. xxviii. 38.

Edom came out against him with much people. Numb. xx. 20.

They of old feared God, as a severe Lord, much in his commands, abundant in his threatenings. Bp. Taylor.

n. 1. A great quantity; a great deal. He that gathered much had nothing over. Ex. xvi. 18. 2. A thing uncommon, wonderful, or noticeable; something considerable. He thought it not much to clothe his enemies. Milton. To make much of, to treat as something of especial value or worth.

adv. [Icel. miök, miög, mickit, Sw. mycket, Dan. meget. See supra.]

1Sense 1. To a great degree or extent; greatly; abundantly; far; — qualifying adjectives and adverbs almost exclusively in the comparative degree; as, much more, much stronger, much faster.

Whether out of pity or policy maintained, it is not much material. Milton.

2Sense 2. Often or long; to a great degree. “Think much, speak little.” Dryden.

3Sense 3. In very nearly the same condition; almost; closely.

All left the world much as they found it. Temple.

Much at one. Almost at the same rate. [Obs.] Dryden.

v. t. To make much of. [Prov. Eng.]