| 释义 |
▪ I. much, a., quasi-n., and adv.|mʌtʃ|
Forms: 3–6 muche, miche, moche, 4–6 meche, mouche, mych(e, 5–6 moch, mich, 5 mech, 6 mutch, mitch, mytch, mushe, 3– much.
[Early ME. muche, moche, meche, miche, shortened from muchel, mochel, mechel, michel: see mickle.
The shortening may have been suggested by the relation of lut to the longer form lutel (see lite and little adjs., advs., and ns.). The cause, however, may have been phonetic; another instance of the loss of l after ch seems to exist in wench, 14th c. wenche, app. from early ME. wenchel.]
A. adj.
1. = great a., in various applications.
†a. with reference to size, bulk, stature. Of persons, occas.: Adult, grown up. Obs.
Surviving in certain names of English villages, as Much Burstead, Much Leighes (now Great Leighs), Much Wenlock (in 17th c. also More Wenlock). Cf. great a. 6 e.
c1205Lay. 28036 Al þere muche halle rof mid hire honden heo to-droh. 1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 4467 A stounde sate þey by me styl And drogh furþ a moche boke. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 61 A Muche Mon, me þouhte lyk to my-seluen. c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 323 In þis maner þou schalt bringe in þe boon of a child wel ynow. If it be a miche man, lete him ligge adoun streiȝt. c1450Merlin i. 97 Antor, that hadde this childe norisshed till he was a moche man of xv yere of age, he hadde hym trewly norisshed, so that he was faire and moche. 1460J. Capgrave Chron. (Rolls) 132 This William mad Westminster Halle: and whan he sei it first, he seide it was not half mech inow. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) I. 112 Whiche in a nother's iye can spye a lytell mote And in his owne can nat fele nor espye A moche stycke. 1573Tusser Husb. (1878) 38 A sheepe marke, a tar kettle, little or mitch, two pottles of tar to a pottle of pitch.
†b. with reference to power, rank, importance, or eminence. Obs.
c1205Lay. 11537 Hercne Maximian þu ært of much cunne. c1325Chron. Eng. (Ritson) 11 A muche mon com from Troye, y wis, Wes icleped Bruyt Sylvius. a1400Pistill of Susan 315 Bi þe muche god, þat most is of miht. a1450Myrc 1268 Any mon myche or luyte.
†c. with reference to amount or degree. Obs.
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 203 Þe me ledeð fram miche wowe to michele wele. 13..Guy Warw. (A.) 164 Al þai wonderd strongliche, For his feirhed was so miche. 1697J. Blair in W. S. Perry Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch. I. 15 Those Gentlemen sold themselves so much bargains of the Kings tobacco that [etc.].
†d. said of a numerical aggregate, proportion, etc. much deal: a great part; also advb. in great part, largely. Obs.
c1205Lay. 14224 A-buten he bilæde muche [c 1275 moche] del of londe. c1275Ibid. 3689 Ȝeo sal fare mid þee mid mochere [c 1205 mochelere] ferde. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4920 + 32 He lay muchedel of þe nyȝt in wo & in sorwe. Ibid. 7719 Monye heyemen of þe lond in prison he huld strong, So þat muchedel engelond þoȝte is lif to long. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iv. xxvi. 72 What so euer the body hath done, he hath hit done by the, be it good or bad, and moch dele by thyn excitacion. 1509Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) I. 76 Of other folys yet is a moche nomber. 1531Dial. on Laws Eng. ii. xxv. 54 b, Moche parte of the lawe is in suche speche that fewe men haue knowlege of it. 1566Drant Horace, Sat. vi. D vj, My many muche, my traine of men. 1609Bible (Douay) Exod. i. 9 Behold the people of Israel is much, and stronger than we.
†e. qualifying the designation of a person with the sense: Entitled to the designation in a high degree. Obs.
c1325Spec. Gy de Warewyke 102 Nu i wole nempne þe wicke þewes, þat beþ noht gode, ac muche shrewes. a1400Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) ii. xviii, Sothly he were a moche foole. c1400Gamelyn 230 Whyl thou were a yong boy a moche schrewe thou were.
† f. const. in, of (some quality). Obs.
1303R. Brunne Handl. Synne 4011 Florens was nat so moche yn lore, Yn preyours he was euermore. c1460Play Sacram. 194 In eraclea ys noon so moche of myght.
2. a. A great quantity or amount of, existing or present in great quantity.
In as much, so much, thus much, how much, that much, this much, the adj., like others of similar meaning, often loses its distinctive sense and expresses merely relative quantity (whether great or small). For idiomatic uses of these collocations, see the first words. too much: see too.
c1205Lay. 136 Muche lond he him ȝef. a1300K. Horn 1211 (Camb. MS.) Wyn nelle ihc, Muche ne lite, Bute of cuppe white. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 305 For aquitaunce [þei] taken moche gold. c1425Hampole's Psalter Metr. Pref. 15 Mych vertu he may him wynne. c1435Torr. Portugal 1399 She toke the ryngis with moche care. 1458in Parker Dom. Archit. III. 41 In labor & lavyng moche money was lore. 1523[Coverdale] Old God & New (1534) H iv b, The tree hath miche worke to growe. 1535― Deut. xxviii. 38 Thou shalt cary out moch sede in to y⊇ felde, and shalt gather but litle in. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. i. ii. 177, I am glad that my weake words Haue strucke but thus much shew of fire from Brutus. 1710Swift Jrnl. to Stella 10 Oct., Mr. Harley..presented me to the Attorney-General, Sir Simon Harcourt, with much compliment on all sides, etc. 1831Coleridge Table-t. 1 Aug., There is much beast and some devil in man. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 81 There is much truth in that remark of yours. 1903Mission Field May 17 Over as much space as possible.
ellipt.1766Goldsm. Vic. W. viii, An amour, which promises little good fortune, yet may be productive of much.
†b. Qualifying people, etc.: A great number of.
c1205Lay. 23204 Muche moncum [c 1275 moche folk] he þer of-sloh. 1470–85Malory Arthur i. i. 36 There was..moche peple slayne. 1538London in Lett. Suppress. Monast. (Camden) 225 Thys ys a towne of moch power people. 1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. vi. 7 Let vs know, If 'twill..carry back to Cicelie much tall youth That else must perish heere. 1611Bible Num. xx. 20 And Edom came out against him with much people.
†c. much thing: many a thing, many things.
1390Gower Conf. I. 49 So schal I moche thing foryete. c1450Merlin i. 17 The Iuges seiden he moste be counynge of moche thynge yef he shulde saue his moder.
d. Used (where many would now be substituted) with a plural n. taken collectively. Now chiefly U.S. dial. and in echoes of quot. 1602.
1565Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. Ded., The same Emperour after much disputations and conferences had with the Arrians,..commaunded [etc.]. 1591Sparry tr. Cattan's Geomancie 165 This figure..sheweth that the seruantes of the saide Lords shall get much friends. 1602Shakes. Ham. i. i. 8 For this releefe much thankes. 1660Gauden Brownrig 238 All these died..in the foresight and fear of much future miseries impending over us. 1664Pepys Diary 17 July, After dinner walked to my Lord's, and there found him and much other guests at table at dinner. 1719D'Urfey Pills III. 315 Much Pagan Pates, he made to tumble in Dust. 1889Kansas City (Missouri) Times & Star 13 Dec., For the latter's fall-down, much thanks. 1890S. Hale Lett. (1919) 253, I have much funny things to tell you. 1928J. Peterkin Scarlet Sister Mary (1929) xxii. 217 How much chillen you had? 1952E. O'Neill Moon for Misbegotten i. 17 You didn't get much thanks from Mike, I'll wager, for your help.
e. Forming with its n. a kind of combination, with the abstract sense ‘abundance of’ (what the n. denotes).
1609Bible (Douay) 2 Kings i. Comm., Elias was knowen by his much hayre. 1630Winthrop New Eng. (1825) I. 377 My much business hath made me too oft forget Mondays and Fridays. 1650W. Brough Manual (1659) 214 Keep me from the much evill of an Idle life! 1872Tennyson Last Tourn. 724 Now mocking at the much ungainliness..of Mark. 1891Kipling Light that Failed (1900) 39 A pale yellow sun..showed the much dirt of the place.
f. ironically, where no would be used in serious language. Also in the derisive wish much good may it do you (formerly in many corrupt forms: see dich = do it).
1542Udall Erasm. Apoph. 84 In the waye of mockage, biddyng muche good dooe it hym. 1598B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iv. iv, Much wench, or much sonne! 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. iv. iii. 2 Is it not past two a clock? And heere much Orlando. 1622Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 109 So many Ryals (Gentlemen) and so many Maravedis miche yee God diche you, and you are hartily welcome. 1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 87 So mich God dich you with your sustenancelesse sauce. 1783[see good C. 5 a]. 1843Dickens Christmas Carol i, ‘Let me leave it [Christmas] alone, then,’ said Scrooge. ‘Much good may it do you. Much good it has ever done you!’ Mod. Much right he has to interfere with me!
3. With agent-noun: that is much in the habit of performing the action. rare. [From the adv.]
1711Swift Jrnl. to Stella 28 Apr., I have heard them say, ‘Much talkers, little walkers’. 1833Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Pref. (1865) 236 Your long and much talkers hated him.
B. absol. and quasi-n.
The word never completely assumes the character of a n.; in sense 2 it admits of being qualified by advs. like very, rather. Unlike little, it never takes the indefinite article.
†1. Used absol. in the sense ‘great’. Only in the phrases much and lite, much and little = persons high and low; all (people) without exception. Obs.
13..Seuyn Sag. (W.) 1137 He let of-sende moche and lite, Hise neyebours to visite. a1375Cursor M. 23154 (Fairf.) Wite ȝe for-soþ al þat is suche sal be dampned litel & muche. c1386Chaucer Prol. 494 He ne lafte nat..to visite The ferreste in his parisshe, muche and lite.
2. a. A great deal, a great quantity. Proverb much will have more.
13..Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xlix. 53 Ȝif þou haue muchel, muche ȝiue also; Ȝif þou haue nouȝt, muche þou schalt ȝiue. c1350Old Usages Winchester in Eng. Gilds (1870) 355 To þe clerk a peny. ȝif he selleþ meche by ȝere; and ȝif he sulleþ lasse, vp-on þe quantite. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1906) 74, I wylle not say moche nor al. 1610Shakes. Temp. ii. i. 55 He misses not much. 1615W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 5 Much will haue more: and once poore, seldome or neuer rich. 1710Tatler No. 241 ⁋1 He who drinks much is a Slave to himself. 1814Byron Lara i. xvii, In him inexplicably appear'd Much to be loved and hated, sought and fear'd. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 169 He bestowed much; yet he neither enjoyed the pleasure nor acquired the fame of beneficence. 1885Times 25 May 10 Much is due to the prejudices of well-meaning but uncultured people.
b. followed by of partitive.
c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 438 Siche apostataes marren meche of Cristis ordre. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 38 The French king..lost muche of his people. 1655tr. Com. Hist. Francion xii. 29 There must be much of Malice in his accusation. a1761Cawthorn Antiquarians 85 Pythagoras..With much of thought, and pains, and care, Found [etc.]. 1817Jas. Mill Brit. India III. vi. i. 10 That friendship..which Mr. Hastings claimed so much of merit for maintaining. 1871Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 2) IV. xvii. 84 There was room for much of thoughtful consultation.
c. with the (or other defining word).
1568Grafton Chron. II. 631 Therefore the French aucthors make of a litle, much, and yet their much (all things consydered) is in effect nothing at all. 1594Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1616) 11 Our vnderstanding is not filled by the much which wee read in little time. 1646H. P. Medit. Seige 69 How apt are they to boast the little they have done, whilst they utterly forget the much that is behinde? 1700Dryden Iliad i. 250 Nor grudge I thee, the much the Grecians give; Nor murm'ring take the little I receive. 1778Burke Corr. (1844) II. 247 If I, or mine, can contribute our mite, or our much,..we shall not omit to serve you. 1804E. de Acton Tale without Title III. 190 Every one endeavoured to say something of the much with which his heart was filled. 1866G. Meredith Vittoria xxxi, The much which hangs on little was then set in motion.
d. by much: by a great deal. † Formerly often (with comparative or superlative, or too) = much adv.
c1450Myrc (1902) 1517 A-bregge hys penaunce þen by myche. 1536Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 16 Whiche his grace will neyther by moche seke ne yet refuse if it be put unto him. 1622Gataker Spirituall Watch (ed. 2) 87 [Death] is neerer by much many times then we are aware of. 1628Digby Voy. Medit. (Camden) 46 Now my shippe outsayled all my fleete by much. a1634Randolph Muses' Looking-Gl. iv. i, She hath made this cheek By much too pale. 1793Minstrel III. 185 The third, by much the least hardened,..was struck with remorse.
e. In negative or interrogative context: Any great amount, anything important.
1847A. Brontë Agnes Grey xvii. 251, I paid more attention to dress than ever I had done before... This is not saying much, for hitherto I had been a little neglectful in that particular. 1871G. Meredith H. Richmond xl, It was comical and not likely to lead to much. Mod. I do not think the evidence amounts to very much. Does all this come to much? No!
f. to think much of: see think v. to make much of: see make v. 18 d, 21, of 20.
g. Used predicatively. to be much: to be a great thing, an important point, matter, etc. to think (it) much (with inf.): to regard as important or onerous; to be ‘shy of’ (doing something). not to be much to look at: to be of insignificant or unattractive appearance. a bit much: see bit n.2 5. Also in similar phrases with the same sense, as a trifle much, rather much.
c1325Spec. Gy de Warewyke 150 Sinful men Þat þinkeþ it were muche for hem To haue gret worldes honour. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 301 They thought it much if they coulde bring the French King..in safetie to Burdeaux. 1610Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 252 Thou..thinkst it much to tread y⊇ Ooze Of the salt deepe. 1618W. Lawson New Orchard (1623) 24 For men not knowing..this secret of needfull distance,..thinke much to pull vp any [trees], though they pine one another. 1622Bacon Hen. VII 234 It was also much, that one that was so great a Louer of Peace should bee so happy in Warre. 1667Milton P.L. x. 219 He..thought not much to cloath his Enemies. 1671Tillotson Serm. i. 30 It is much, if Men were from eternity, that they should not find out the way of Writing in all that long long duration which had past before that Time. 1700Dryden Wife of Bath 78 The ladies..thought it much a man should die for love, And with their mistress join'd in close debate. 1861Dickens Gt. Expect. v, You are not much to look at. 1875Encycl. Brit. II. 252/1 All men allow their beards, whiskers, and moustaches full growth, though none of these are much to speak of. 1911O. Onions Widdershins 265, I too smiled... ‘It was rather much, wasn't it?’ I said. 1930R. Lehmann Note in Music v. 200 After all, perhaps it would have been a trifle much, applied to mother. 1964J. Symons End of Solomon Grundy i. i. 27 It's enough to break up any party. I must say I thought it was rather much.
h. much of a{ddd} (colloq.): in negative contexts = ‘a great{ddd}’, ‘a{ddd}of any noteworthy quality’, ‘a{ddd}in any great degree’.
1843Dickens Christmas Carol iii, What's the consequence? He don't lose much of a dinner. 1889J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat 114 You don't look for much of a voice in a comic song. Mod. He is not much of a scholar.
i. ironically (cf. A 2 e above).
Mod. Much you know about the matter!
3. a. With modified sense, in absolute uses of the adj. as qualified by as, so, thus, how, that, this, too: see those words and A 2 above.
†b. like much or a like much: a similar quantity. Obs.
1544T. Phaer Regim. Lyfe (1560) B iv b, Take lytarge of Sylver, and Brymstone, of eche lyke muche, and seethe them. Ibid. D iij, Of eche a lyke muche. c1550Lloyd Treas. Health H iij, Take of Castoreum, of Pellytory, of Pyonye rootes, of eche lyke muche make pylles wyth Triakell.
4. Comb., objective with pr. pples., as much-containing, much-devouring, much-enduring, much-suffering adjs.
c1611Chapman Iliad xxiii. 631 The much-suffering man. 1725Pope Odyss. viii. 172 A..much-enduring man. 1828Pusey Hist. Enq. i. 156 In his concise but deep and much-containing essay. 1873Longfellow Wayside Inn iii. Interlude iii. 32 Wood, To feed the much-devouring fire.
C. adv.
1. In a great degree; to a great extent; greatly.
a. qualifying a verb or the whole predication.
a1225Leg. Kath. 229 Ne ne mei na þing wiðstonden his wille, þah he muche þolie. 1382Wyclif Luke vii. 47 Manye synnes ben forȝouun to hire, for sche hath loued myche. a1425Cursor M. 10941 (Trin.) Muche þerfore þei mournyng were. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 2 Some in religyon be ryght holy & moche exercysed in goostly conuersacyon. 1573Baret Alv. M. 496 Saie that I am here much against my will. 1603Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. iii. 9 Ginger was not much in request, for the olde Women were all dead. 1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 422 The Ambassadors..made him some other Presents, which..made him very much our friend. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. vii, For my part, I don't much like it. 1785Cowper Let. to Newton 27 Aug., The publisher of it is neither much a friend to the cause of religion nor to the author's memory. 1854H. Miller Sch. & Schm. ii. (1857) 37, I was much a favourite with Uncle James. 1863W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting viii. 350 He complained much of his poverty. 1891E. Peacock N. Brendon I. 208 ‘Thank you very much,’ she said. 1902E. Banks Newspaper Girl 211 I'm much obliged to you.
b. qualifying comparatives or words implying comparison; occasionally with the intervention of the (pron.) before a comparative.
In the 17th c., when a or an preceded the comparative, much was sometimes interposed instead of being placed first. (Strictly, this construction belongs rather to 1 a.)
c1275Lay. 3201 He moche þe wodlokere wilnede þat mayde. Ibid. 9911 Wel riche was Aruiragus and moche richere was Maurus. c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 334 And ȝif it fare þus wiþ hiere penytaunceris..it is moche þe werse on alle ordris. c1450Merlin 4 He dought that yef he dide hym gretter damage, that he wolde be moche wrother. 1505in Mem. Hen. VII (Rolls) 231 Much the less we could come by the very knowledge of that cause for that the queen weared black kerchowes. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. ix. 33 Troy, thou art now nought but an idle name,..Though whilome far much greater then thy fame. 1654–66Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 370 She manifested by the esteem she plac'd upon the performance, how much a higher one she had for him for whom 'twas performed. 1668–9Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 267 It will be some expense, but much otherwise husbanded then formerly. 167.Prideaux Lett. (Camden) 64 The translation of æmilius Porta is much the best. a1674Clarendon Surv. Leviath. (1676) 255 Euripides..is much a graver writer. 1688Collier Sev. Disc. xii. (1725) 385 A grateful..Receiver is much a greater Man than such a pretended Benefactor. 1711in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 170 The much major part of the souldiery. 1711–12Swift Jrnl. to Stella 23 Feb., The Secretary is much the greatest commoner in England. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xviii, Our modern dialect is much more natural. 1838Moore Mem. (1856) VII. 218 Nothing much different to add in the subject. 1875Encycl. Brit. II. 707/1 Much the largest river of the peninsula is the Halys.
c. qualifying positive or uncompared adjs. and advs.; = very. Obs. exc. with like (now only as quasi-prep.) and in U.S. dial.
c1449Pecocke Repr. i. x. 53 Y wolde not make me miche bisi forto seie ther aȝens. c1483Caxton Dialogues 32 Yet is he moche dangerous. 1490― Eneydos x. 40 Dydo toke grete playsir in his conuersacyon and deuysed wyth him moche gladely. 1539Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 214 She confesseth in substance, the moche like wordes to have ben told her. 1550Cranmer Defence 65 b, And contra Adamantium he writeth much like, saying [etc.]. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. Ep. P. Giles (1895) 11 Beynge muche lyke vncourteis, vnthankefull, and chourlishe guestes. 1612Bacon Ess., Parents & Child. (Arb.) 276/1 In nature it is much a like matter. 1650Earl of Monmouth tr. Senault's Man bec. Guilty 212 Health so dearly bought, cannot be much delightfull. 1796Mrs. J. West Gossip's Story I. 156 'Twas much unkind to go. 1916Dialect Notes IV. 347, I don't guess she's much old. 1929W. Faulkner Sound & Fury 268, I..went up front. ‘Been much busy?’ Earl says. ‘Not much,’ I says.
d. Used ironically for ‘not at all’. Also (now only U.S.) ellipt. as a derisive exclamation indicating incredulity. not much: certainly not, far from it, ‘not likely’; also occas. (ironically), certainly, ‘not half’ (colloq.).
c1590Marlowe Faustus (2nd vers.) (1631) E 2, Vint... Come giue it to me againe. Rob. I much, when can you tell? 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 143 Since when, I pray you, Sir? what, with two Points on your shoulder? much. 1598–9B. Jonson Case is Altered iii. i, And to solicite his remembrance still In his enforced absence, much, I faith. 1599― Ev. Man out of Hum. i. iii, To charge me bring my Graine into the markets: I, much, when I haue neither Barne nor Garner. 1873‘Susan Coolidge’ What Katy did at Sch. ix, ‘Much you don't like oranges?’ he said... ‘Much! I've seen you eat two at a time, without stopping.’ 1879Besant & Rice Seamy Side 114 ‘Oh! yes,’ he says, ‘you think it's yours, do you? Much. I'm the owner, I am.’ 1886Harper's Mag. Dec. 148/1 ‘Go home?—explain?’ he began, more calmly. ‘Not much.’ 1888‘R. Boldrewood’ Robbery under Arms I. xviii. 248 Starlight and I wasn't likely to break down—not much—whatever the jury did. 1904E. Nesbit Phoenix & Carpet xi. 212 ‘He didn't mean stay and be roasted,’ said Robert. ‘No boys on burning decks for me, thank you.’ ‘Not much,’ said Cyril. a1908Mod. Much you care about my feelings! 1911A. Bennett Card x. 255 Do you suppose I was going to let you go by that steamer? Not much. 1928D. L. Sayers Unpleasantness at Bellona Club xvi. 188 ‘They can get it from Robert or George Fentiman,’ warned Wimsey. ‘Not much, they won't,’ said Salcombe Hardy feelingly. 1970A. Ross Manchester Thing 81 ‘Got a going over, did you?’ ‘Not much, I got a going over. Want to see the bruises?’ 1973J. Porter It's Murder with Dover i. 1 ‘I am not asking for any preferential treatment,’ said Lord Crouch... Not bloody much! thought the Chief Constable..and tried to work out what His Nibs was up to.
e. not to be (or go) much on (or for): (a) not to be enthusiastic about (something); not to like or care for; (b) not to be useful or effective for (a purpose); to be no good at (something). colloq.
1896Dialect Notes I. 417 ‘I don't go much on that’, I don't care much for that. 1908A. Bennett Buried Alive v. 111 ‘I'm not much for these restaurants,’ she said, over grilled kidneys. ‘No?’ he responded tentatively. ‘I'm sorry.’ 1928R. Bradford in B. A. Botkin Treas. S. Folklore (1949) iii. ii. 485 Angels is all right for singin' and playin' and flyin' round, but they ain't much on workin' de crops and buildin' de levees. 1968A. Munro in R. Weaver Canad. Short Stories 2nd Ser. 262 They may not be much on intellectual conversation but their hearts are in the right place.
2. In modified sense, qualified by as, how, so, too (cf. A 2, B 3 above): see those advs.
3. Pretty nearly, approximately. Chiefly qualifying expressions denoting similarity, as in much as, much of an age, much of a muchness, much of a size, much of a piece; † much at one. Also prefixed to about prep., to emphasize the notion of indefiniteness.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 203 Moche aboute thys same tyme. a1568R. Ascham Scholem. Pref. (Arb.) 20, I heare saie, you haue a sonne, moch of his age. 1662J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 112 The death of Derma, and that of the King of Candy..happened much about a time. 1686J. S[ergeant] Hist. Monast. Convent. 100 The word Allon, which is much at one with Allons in French. a1699Temple Misc. iii. i. Wks. 1720 I. 257 All of them left the World much as they found it. 1704N. N. tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. III. 340 It was much about that time. 1739‘R. Bull’ tr. Dedekindus' Grobianus 136 Old Men are much at one. 1741Corr. betw. C'tess Hartford & C'tess Pomfret (1805) II. 256 The siege and the soldiers are much of a piece with the fire. 1763Scrafton Indostan (1770) 56 He marched against his relation..who was much such a giddy abandoned youth as himself. 1859W. Collins ‘Blow up with the Brig!’, I..lose myself in my memory now, much as I lost myself in my own feelings at the time. 1884J. G. Bourke Snake Dance of Moquis xv, He sprinkled water upon the ground, very much as a Catholic priest would asperse his congregation.
4. ‘Often or long’ (J.); for a large part of one's time.
1798J. Baillie Tryal v. ii, I have been pretty much with him these two days past, and I don't believe he gives me great thanks for my company. 1839Darwin in Life & Lett. (1887) I. 300 Read little, was much unwell, and scandalously idle. Mod. I have not been much away from home of late.
5. Comb.: (a) with pa. pples., as in much-abused, much-admired, much-branched, much-criticized, much-debated, much-discussed, much-dreaded, much-loved, much-needed, much-quoted, much-travelled, much-used, much valued, much-vaunted; (b) with pples. of indirect passive, as in much talked of; (c) with adjectival phrases composed of to be and pa. pple., as in much-to-be-admired, much-to-be-pitied.
1879W. James Coll. Ess. & Rev. (1920) 95 The *much-abused subject of mental physiology. 1936Discovery Dec. 382/1 The much abused engine..gave out utterly.
1960Farmer & Stockbreeder 23 Feb. 75/1 The next big price was 3,000gs paid by exporter Mr. James Schofield for Westdrums Winson, Messrs. Boots' *much-admired reserve best two-year-old.
1612Drayton Poly-olb. xvi. 311 To *much beloued Lee, this scarcely Sturt had spoke.
1927Haldane & Huxley Animal Biol. i. 35 Most glands..are many-celled tubes or pockets of epithelium, either unbranched or slightly branched..or *much-branched like the liver or salivary gland.
1970T. J. Ross Film & Liberal Arts 148 The *much-criticized woodenness of her playing is of small matter.
1843Mill Logic I. 9 To this science [sc. metaphysics] appertain the great and *much debated questions of the existence of matter. 1956Nature 11 Feb. 262/2 The whole of the much-debated line up Borrowdale.
1946Ibid. 23 Nov. 759/2 The *much-discussed hypothesis that galactic noise is analogous to the noise associated with solar flares.
1865G. M. Hopkins Poems (1967) 150 You may trust Your footing now to the *much-dreaded dust.
1879Huxley Hume i. 56 This full-crammed and *much-examined generation.
1873Howells Chance Acquaintance i. (1883) 23 A *much-galleried hotel.
1785Burns Cotter's Sat. Night xx, A virtuous populace may rise the while, And stand a wall of fire around their *much-lov'd Isle.
1886E. G. White Notes of Trav. in Hist. Sk. Foreign Missions Seventh Day Adventists 236/1 We might obtain a little *much-needed rest. 1936Burlington Mag. Apr. 202/2 It is a pity not to have given the Birth of Venus..a much-needed rest. 1964Ann. Reg. 1963 229 The United States and Canada traditionally supplied much-needed grain.
1927Mod. Philology Nov. 224 The *much-quoted example..does not illustrate sound change.
1645R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (Bannatyne Club) II. 267 The *much-talked of weakness of our army. 1912‘Saki’ Chron. Clovis 196 The County..mustered in full strength to witness the *much-talked-of production.
1634–5Brereton Trav. (Chetham Soc.) 175 Although there be many grafts of the old thorn engrafted, yet all (save this) degenerate from this *much-to-be-admired budding and blossoming at this time. 1820Southey Wesley I. 180 This so much-to-be-admired eternal Providence.
1928C. Singer From Magic to Sci. i. 12 This erudite and *much travelled man exhibits great industry.
1595Shakes. John iv. ii. 73 A *much troubled brest.
1890W. James Princ. Psychol. II. xviii. 58 In one it [sc. cerebral injury] will throw a *much-used brain-tract out of gear; in the other it may affect an unimportant region.
1791Boswell Johnson (1831) I. 310 His *much-valued friend.
1939W. S. Churchill Into Battle (1941) 150 The magnetic mine..may perhaps be Herr Hitler's *much vaunted secret weapon. 1974Times 9 Dec. 12/2 Mr Tanaka rashly published his much vaunted plan for decentralizing industry.
▪ II. much, v. dial.|mʌtʃ|
[f. much quasi-n.]
trans. To make much of; to pet, fondle, caress.
1736Pegge Kenticisms (E.D.S.) 38 To much a child, to fondle it when it is peevish. 1848Lowell Fable for Critics Poet. Wks. (1879) 154 As soon as she's touched it And (to borrow a phrase from the nursery) muched it. |