What is the difference between number and many?
number | many |
(countable) An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
(countable) A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer
(countable, mathematics) A member of one of several classes: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions.
Indicating the position of something in a list or sequence. Abbreviations: No'' or '' (in each case, sometimes written with a superscript "o", like Nº or №). The symbol "#" is also used in this manner.
Quantity.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= * Francis Bacon
A sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, and various other items.
(countable, informal) A telephone number.
* 2001 , E. Forrest Hein, The Ruach Project, Xulon Press, page 86:
* 2007 , Lindsey Nicole Isham, No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions on Love, Lust, Dating, and Waiting, Kregel Publications, page 111:
(grammar) Of a word or phrase, the state of being singular, dual or plural, shown by inflection.
(now, rare, in the plural) Poetic metres; verses, rhymes.
* 1635 , (John Donne), The Triple Foole :
(countable) A performance; especially, a single song or song and dance routine within a larger show.
(countable, informal) A person
* 1968 , Janet Burroway, The dancer from the dance: a novel, Little, Brown, page 40:
* 1988 , Erica Jong, Serenissima, Dell, page 214:
* 2005 , Denise A. Agnew, Kate Hill & Arianna Hart, By Honor Bound, Ellora's Cave Publishing, page 207:
(countable, informal) An item of clothing, particularly a stylish one
* 2007 , Cesca Martin, Agony Angel: So You Think You've Got Problems..., Troubador Publishing Ltd, page 134:
* 2007 , Lorelei James, Running with the Devil, Samhain Publishing, Ltd, page 46:
(slang, chiefly, US) A marijuana cigarette, or joint; also, a quantity of marijuana bought form a dealer.
* 2009 , (Thomas Pynchon), Inherent Vice , Vintage 2010, page 12:
(dated) An issue of a periodical publication.
To label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).
To total or count; to amount to.
(numb)
An indefinite large number of.
:
*Bible, (w) xvii.4:
*:Thou shalt be a father of many nations.
*
*:The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line, which seems to have shown some ingenuity in avoiding them,.
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= A collective mass of people.
An indefinite large number of people or things.
* {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=4, title= A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.
A considerable number.
As nouns the difference between number and many
is that number is an abstract entity used to describe quantity while many is a multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.As a verb number
is to label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).As an adjective number
is comparative of numb.As a determiner many is
an indefinite large number of.As a pronoun many is
a collective mass of people.number
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (obsolete)Etymology 1
(etyl) .Noun
(en noun)The new masters and commanders, passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much.
- Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage.
- “[...] I wonder if you could get hold of him and have him call me here at Interior. I’m in my office, do you have my number ?”
- When I agreed to go surfing with him he said, “Great, can I have your number'?” Well, I don’t give my ' number to guys I don’t know.
- Griefe brought to numbers cannot be so fierce, / For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse.
- I laughed. "Don't doubt that. She's a saucy little number ."
- "Signorina Jessica," says the maid, a saucy little number , "your father has gone to his prayers and demands that you come to the synagogue at once [...]"
- He had to focus on the mission, staying alive and getting out, not on the sexy number rubbing up against him.
- The trouble was I was wearing my backless glittering number from the night before underneath, so unless I could persuade the office it was National Fancy Dress Day I was doomed to sweat profusely in bottle blue.
- "I doubt the sexy number you wore earlier tonight fell from the sky."
- Back at his place again, Doc rolled a number , put on a late movie, found an old T-shirt, and sat tearing it up into short strips
- the latest number of a magazine
Synonyms
* (mathematical number) scalarHyponyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* abundant number * algebraic number * binary number * cardinal number * complex number * decimal number * deficient number * do a number on * have someone's number * hexadecimal number * house number * hyperreal number * hypercomplex number * imaginary number * irrational number * meandric number * natural number * nice round number * number-cruncher * number-crunching * number field * number line * number one * number two * number theory * numberless * ordinal number * opposite number * perfect number * phone number * prime number * rational number * real number * round number * serial number * surreal number * take a number * telephone number * transcendental number * transfinite number * whole number * without number * (number)See also
* (grammatical numbers) singular,? dual,? trial,? quadral,? paucal,? pluralVerb
(en verb)- Number the baskets so that we can find them easily.
- I don’t know how many books are in the library, but they must number in the thousands.
Derived terms
* number amongSee also
*Etymology 2
From numb + .Adjective
(head)many
English
(wikipedia many)Determiner
The rise of smart beta, passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}
Usage notes
Many'' is used with plural nouns only (except in the combination many a). Its singular counterpart is much, which is used with uncountable nouns. ''Many'' and ''much merge in the comparison forms, which are more and most for both determiners.Antonyms
* fewPronoun
(English Pronouns)A Cuckoo in the Nest, passage=By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.}}