MOST • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Most

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/moʊst/ /moʊs/ Listen

adverb

Most adv. In the greatest or highest degree. "Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates." Note: Placed before an adjective or adverb, most is used to form the superlative degree, being equivalent to the termination -est; as, most vile, most wicked; most illustrious; most rapidly. Formerly, and until after the Elizabethan period of our literature, the use of the double superlative was common. See More, adv. "The most unkindest cut of all." "The most straitest sect of our religion."

adjective

Most adj. superl. (superl. of More)

1.

Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all. "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness." "The cities wherein most of his mighty works were done."

2.

Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it. "In the moste pride."

3.

Highest in rank; greatest. (Obs.) Note: Most is used as a noun, the words part, portion, quantity, etc., being omitted, and has the following meanings: 1. The greatest value, number, or part; preponderating portion; highest or chief part. 2. The utmost; greatest possible amount, degree, or result; especially in the phrases to make the most of, at the most, at most. "A quarter of a year or some months at the most." "A covetous man makes the most of what he has."

For the most part, in reference to the larger part of a thing, or to the majority of the persons, instances, or things referred to; as, human beings, for the most part, are superstitious; the view, for the most part, was pleasing.

Most an end, generally. See An end, under End, n. (Obs.) "She sleeps most an end."

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Etymology of 'Most'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Most" Quotes from Famous Books

... and even genius, they fail to satisfy us. There is some good thing which they lack—something unbalanced and partial and one-sided about them. We presume that this is often the result of a constitutional defect, but in most instances it is attributable to insufficient nourishment in some department of their nature. "All but," is the appropriate epitaph for the tombstone of many an author; and if we look carefully into his history we shall find an answer to the question: "All but what?" We shall find, ...

— Lessons in Life - A Series of Familiar Essays • Timothy Titcomb

... destruction of the fortress presented no hard problem to them. The utter worthlessness of similarly fortified positions had been proven in the earlier days of the war—in the destruction of Louvain, Liege, Brussels and Antwerp, the latter the most strongly fortified city in the world, with the exception of Paris itself. The huge 42-centimetre guns of the Germans had battered them to pieces in little or ...

— The Boy Allies At Verdun • Clair W. Hayes

... entered into engagements, which common enemies and common dangers preserved from violation. But the first conversation informed the English, that their expectations were not immediately to be gratified; for, upon their inquiries after the most probable means of gaining gold and silver, the Symerons told them, that had they known sooner the chief end of their expedition, they could easily have gratified them; but that during the rainy season, which was now begun, and which continues six ...

— The Works of Samuel Johnson, Vol. 6 - Reviews, Political Tracts, and Lives of Eminent Persons • Samuel Johnson

... most charming, Caroline bowed, smiled, and walked off with her train. Maltravers paused irresolute. If Evelyn had looked back, he would have accompanied them home; but Evelyn did not look back,—and ...

— Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete • Edward Bulwer-Lytton

... end of the six months of probation approached, Madam became more and more anxious. Ever since Eleanor's high-handed departure she had been undergoing a metamorphosis. Like most autocrats, the only things of which she took notice were the ones that impeded her progress. When they proved sufficiently formidable to withstand annihilation, she awarded them the respect that was their due. Eleanor's ...

— Quin • Alice Hegan Rice

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