What is "many one"

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.