The Collaborative International Dictionary
Many \Ma"ny\, a. & pron.
Note: [It has no variation to express degrees of comparison; more and most, which are used for the comparative and superlative degrees, are from a different root.] [OE. mani, moni, AS. manig, m[ae]nig, monig; akin to D. menig, OS. & OHG. manag, G. manch, Dan. mange, Sw. m[*a]nge, Goth. manags, OSlav. mnog', Russ. mnogii; cf. Icel. margr, Prov. E. mort. [root]103.] Consisting of a great number; numerous; not few.
Thou shalt be a father of many nations.
--Gen. xvii.
4.
Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble, are called.
--1 Cor. i.
26.
Note: Many is freely prefixed to participles, forming
compounds which need no special explanation; as,
many-angled, many-celled, many-eyed, many-footed,
many-handed, many-leaved, many-lettered, many-named,
many-peopled, many-petaled, many-seeded, many-syllabled
(polysyllabic), many-tongued, many-voiced, many-wived,
and the like. In such usage it is equivalent to
multi. Comparison is often expressed by many with as
or so. ``As many as were willing hearted . . . brought
bracelets.''
--Exod. xxxv. 22. ``So many laws argue so
many sins.''
--Milton. Many stands with a singular
substantive with a or an.
Many a, a large number taken distributively; each one of
many. ``For thy sake have I shed many a tear.''
--Shak.
``Full many a gem of purest ray serene.''
--Gray.
Many one, many a one; many persons.
--Bk. of Com. Prayer.
The many, the majority; -- opposed to the few. See Many, n.
Too many, too numerous; hence, too powerful; as, they are
too many for us.
--L'Estrange.
Syn: Numerous; multiplied; frequent; manifold; various; divers; sundry.
Wiktionary
det. (label en poetic) many, a plentiful supply of.
WordNet
adj. each of a large indefinite number; "many a man"; "many another day will come" [syn: many a(a), many an(a), many another(a)]
Usage examples of "many a".
The contemplation of this world beckoned as a liberation, and I soon noticed that many a man whom I had learned to esteem and to admire had found inner freedom and security in its pursuit.
He had a thoroughly military bearing, and no one could look at him without seeing that, young as he was, he had served in many a campaign.
Before her lay the rich champaign of Tuscany, dotted over with many a smiling village.
Doubtless many a humble Tarentine spelt it through that evening, with boundless wonder, and thought such an intervention of Providence worthy of being talked about, until the next stabbing case in his street provided a more interesting topic.
Yonder, a few miles away, shone the harbour and the streets of Messina, and many a gleaming point along the island coast, strand-touching or high above, signalled the homes of men.
She chose the corner of the bed, as he resumed what had been his position beside the Formica bedside table spotted with slender cigarette burns that many a tenant had first thought to be roaches.
Polly would have dropped dead in that instant if Edith Carr could have killed with a look, for not until then did she realize that Polly would even many a slight, and that it had been a great mistake to bring her.
The green ground cover had spread fairly far and wreathed many a tree that had died under the Yuuzhan Vong environmental assault.
Becky had seen her stand and wait many a time before, and knew that in a few seconds she would uncover an enlightened, laughing face.
She had employed herself in both ways, at his side under the tree, many and many a time.
The Loggia showed as the triple entrance of a cave, wherein dwelt many a deity, shadowy, but immortal, looking forth upon the arrivals and departures of mankind.
I was saluted on my awakening by the first joyous tones I had heard from the Professor for many a day.
Like many a one before her, and many a one since, she derived inspiration, if not wisdom, from her affection, and came to a singular conclusion.