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# many

determiner, pronoun (many, more, most)

«many» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Many means a large number of things or people: many birds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m1)
2. «How many» asks for a number: How many cats do you have? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m2)
3. «As many as» compares two equal numbers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m3)
4. «Too many» means more than is wanted; «so many» means a great number. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m4)
5. (casual) Chatty talk says «loads», «heaps» (Australia, NZ), «tons», «a ton of», «lots», «a bunch of», «a load of», «a gazillion» instead of many. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m5)
6. (casual) «How many he got then?» is broken grammar for «How many has he got?». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m6)
7. (formal) The exam voice says «numerous», «a considerable number of», «a multitude of», «the number of», «what quantity of». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#m7)

### In the lessons

in «how many», asking for a count; «how many more/fewer … than» asks for a difference; «twice as many» = multiply by 2; «as many as» = equal; in everyday life «so many», «too many», «many times»; «many happy returns» (happy birthday); in casual talk «heaps», «loads», «tons»; in the exam voice «Determine the number of …», «numerous», «a considerable number of»

### Examples

- How many cards does Zoe have now? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x1)
- How many more stickers does Ali have than Mia? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x2)
- Tom has twice as many pens as Sue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x3)
- Many children walk to school. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x4)
- How many legs does a spider have? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x5)
- There are too many toys on the floor. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x6)
- I have read this book many times. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x7)
- Sam has as many cards as Leo. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x8)
- there's heaps of chips, take as many as ya want [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x9)
- how many he got left then? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x10)
- I've told you a million times! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x11)
- State the number of legs possessed by 3 spiders, each spider having 8 legs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x12)
- Many years passed by after this. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/#x13)

### Note

«how many» alone asks for a number, not an operation; «determine the number of» in an exam asks the same. Trap: «how many more/fewer … than» asks for a difference; «twice as many» means multiply by 2. «many» goes with things you can count (many apples); «much» with things you cannot (much water). «heaps», «loads», «a million times» are vague: they mean «a lot», not an exact number. A spider has 8 legs.

## In Jewish tradition

in «how many», asking for a count; «how many more/fewer … than» asks for a difference; «twice as many» = multiply by 2; «as many as» = equal; in everyday life «so many», «too many», «many times»; «many happy returns» (happy birthday); in casual talk «heaps», «loads», «tons»; in the exam voice «Determine the number of …», «numerous», «a considerable number of»

### Examples

- And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days. (Torah GEN.21.34, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x1)
- So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there. (Torah DEU.1.46, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x2)
- The Emim dwelt therein aforetime, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim; (Torah DEU.2.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x3)
- And he sought for them many wives. (Writings 2CH.11.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x4)
- How many are mine iniquities and sins? (Writings JOB.13.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x5)
- LORD, how many are mine adversaries become! (Writings PSA.3.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/#x6)

### Note

«how many» alone asks for a number, not an operation; «determine the number of» in an exam asks the same. Trap: «how many more/fewer … than» asks for a difference; «twice as many» means multiply by 2. «many» goes with things you can count (many apples); «much» with things you cannot (much water). «heaps», «loads», «a million times» are vague: they mean «a lot», not an exact number. A spider has 8 legs.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «many» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/many/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«many» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/many.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «many» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/M/many/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«many» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/many.html) on Mova free.