most(r = adv.all) about, almost, near, nearly, nigh, virtually, well-nigh - (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most everyone agrees"

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CIDE DICTIONARY

most, a. [OE. most, mast, mest, AS. m; akin to D. meest, OS. mēst, G. meist, Icel. mestr, Goth. maists; a superl. corresponding to E. more. √103. See More, a.].

Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all. Prov. xx. 6. [1913 Webster]
"The cities wherein most of his mighty works were done." [1913 Webster]

Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Highest in rank; greatest. Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
" 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." [1913 Webster]

"A quarter of a year or some months at the most." [1913 Webster]

"A covetous man makes the most of what he has." [1913 Webster]

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.” Massinger.

most, adv. [AS. m. See Most, a.].

In the greatest or highest degree. [1913 Webster]
" 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." [1913 Webster]

"Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates." [1913 Webster]

"The most unkindest cut of all." [1913 Webster]

"The most straitest sect of our religion." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

most, adj., n., & adv.
--adj.
1 existing in the greatest quantity or degree (you have made most mistakes; see who can make the most noise).
2 the majority of; nearly all of (most people think so).
--n.
1 the greatest quantity or number (this is the most I can do).
2 (the most) sl. the best of all.
3 the majority (most of them are missing).
--adv.
1 in the highest degree (this is most interesting; what most annoys me).
2 forming the superlative of adjectives and adverbs, esp. those of more than one syllable (most certain; most easily).
3 US colloq. almost.

Idiom

at most no more or better than (this is at most a makeshift). at the most
1 as the greatest amount.
2 not more than.
for the most part
1 as regards the greater part.
2 usually.
make the most of
1 employ to the best advantage.
2 represent at its best or worst. Most Honourable a title given to marquises and to members of the Privy Council and the Order of the Bath. Most Reverend a title given to archbishops and to Roman Catholic bishops.

Etymology

OE mast f. Gmc

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THESAURUS

most
A per se, a outrance, about, absolutely, ace, acme, all but, all out, almost, approximately, at the height, at the limit, authority, authorization, be-all and end-all, best, best part, better, better part, beyond all bounds, beyond compare, beyond comparison, beyond measure, blue ribbon, body, boss, bulk, champion, championship, chief, command, commander, completely, control, dead, dean, directorship, dominion, downright, effectiveness, egregiously, eminently, essence, essentially, exceedingly, extreme, extremely, far and away, far out, first place, first prize, first-class, first-rate, flat out, fugleman, fundamentally, furthest, generality, genius, gist, gravamen, greater, greatest, head, headship, hegemony, height, higher-up, highest, immeasurably, imperium, in the extreme, incalculably, incomparably, indefinitely, infinitely, influence, inimitably, jurisdiction, kingship, laureate, leader, leadership, lordship, main body, major part, majority, management, mass, master, mastership, mastery, maximal, maximum, meat, mightily, more than half, mortally, much, ne plus ultra, nearabout, new high, nigh, nonpareil, palms, par excellence, paragon, paramountcy, paramountly, perfectly, plurality, power, practically, preeminently, preponderance, preponderancy, presidency, primacy, principal, prodigy, prominently, purely, radical, radically, record, remarkably, rule, ruler, say, senior, sovereignty, star, substance, super, superior, superlative, superlatively, superman, superstar, supremacy, supreme, supremely, surpassingly, sway, the greatest, the greatest number, the most, thrust, tip-top, to crown all, too, too much, top, top dog, top spot, top-notch, topmost, totally, transcendently, ultra, ultra-ultra, unconditionally, unequivocally, uppermost, utmost, utterly, uttermost, virtuoso, way out, well-nigh, with a vengeance, zenith

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ROGET THESAURUS

most

Greatness
N greatness, magnitude, size, multitude, immensity, enormity, infinity, might, strength, intensity, fullness, importance, great quantity, quantity, deal, power, sight, pot, volume, world, mass, heap, stock, peck, bushel, load, cargo, cartload, wagonload, shipload, flood, spring tide, abundance, principal part, chief part, main part, greater part, major part, best part, essential part, bulk, mass, great, greater, large, considerable, fair, above par, big, huge, Herculean, cyclopean, ample, abundant, full, intense, strong, sound, passing, heavy, plenary, deep, high, signal, at its height, in the zenith, world-wide, widespread, far-famed, extensive, wholesale, many, goodly, noble, precious, mighty, sad, grave, heavy, serious, far gone, arrant, downright, utter, uttermost, crass, gross, arch, profound, intense, consummate, rank, uninitiated, red-hot, desperate, glaring, flagrant, stark staring, thorough-paced, thoroughgoing, roaring, thumping, extraordinary, important, unsurpassed, complete, august, grand, dignified, sublime, majestic, vast, immense, enormous, extreme, inordinate, excessive, extravagant, exorbitant, outrageous, preposterous, unconscionable, swinging, monstrous, overgrown, towering, stupendous, prodigious, astonishing, incredible, marvelous, unlimited, unapproachable, unutterable, indescribable, ineffable, unspeakable, inexpressible, beyond expression, fabulous, undiminished, unabated, unreduced, unrestricted, absolute, positive, stark, decided, unequivocal, essential, perfect, finished, remarkable, of mark, marked, pointed, veriest, noteworthy, renowned, truly, decidedly, unequivocally, purely, absolutely, seriously, essentially, fundamentally, radically, downright, in all conscience, for the most part, in the main, entirely, abundantly, widely, far and wide, greatly, much, muckle, well, indeed, very, very much, a deal, no end of, most, not a little, pretty, pretty well, enough, in a great measure, richly, to a large extent, to a great extent, to a gigantic extent, on a large scale, so, never so, ever so, ever so dole, scrap, shred, tag, splinter, rag, much, by wholesale, mighty, powerfully, with a witness, ultra, in the extreme, extremely, exceedingly, intensely, exquisitely, acutely, indefinitely, immeasurably, beyond compare, beyond comparison, beyond measure, beyond all bounds, incalculably, infinitely, preeminently, superlatively, immoderately, monstrously, preposterously, inordinately, exorbitantly, excessively, enormously, out of all proportion, with a vengeance, particularly, remarkably, singularly, curiously, uncommonly, unusually, peculiarly, notably, signally, strikingly, pointedly, mainly, chiefly, famously, egregiously, prominently, glaringly, emphatically, kat exochin, strangely, wonderfully, amazingly, surprisingly, astonishingly, incredibly, marvelously, awfully, stupendously, peculiarly, furiously, severely, desperately, tremendously, extravagantly, confoundedly, deucedly, devilishly, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, painfully, sadly, grossly, sorely, bitterly, piteously, grievously, miserably, cruelly, woefully, lamentably, shockingly, frightfully, dreadfully, fearfully, terribly, horribly, a maximis ad minima, greatness knows itself, mightiest powers by deepest calms are fed, minimum decet libere cui multum licet, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

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