2 many
Function:
pronounMeaning:
: a large number of people or things ▪ Some people will come, but many [=many people] will not. ▪ The medicine has helped many with the disease. ▪ Many of his friends never went to college. ▪ I know some of the people here, but not (very) many of them. ▪ Far/All too many have died in this war. ▪ A lot of people have tried to climb the mountain, but a great/good many of them have failed. ▪ I wanted a dozen, but they didn't have that many. = They didn't have as many as that. [=they had fewer than a dozen]
as many as
—used to suggest that a number or amount is surprisingly large ▪ She read as many as 60 books! ▪ As many as 60 students competed for the prize. ▪ They lost by as many as 20 points.
many a/an
formal + literary —used with a singular noun to refer to a large number of things or people ▪ It remained a mystery for many a year. [=for many years] ▪ I've been there many a time. [=many times] ▪ Many a tale was told. [=many tales were told] ▪ Many an answer [=many answers] can be found in this book. ▪ Many a man has tried [=many men have tried] but few men have succeeded.
many's the
formal + literary —used to say that something is common or has happened often ▪ Many's the day we have spent together. [=we have spent many days together] ▪ Many's the time I've been there. [=I've been there many times]
the many
: the great majority of people ▪ policies that help the privileged few at the expense of the many