Adjective

(er)

Somewhat fat, pudgy, overweight.

* 1824 , , Tales of a Traveller , Introduction:

Indeed, the poor man has grown ten times as nervous as ever, since he has discovered, on such good authority, who the stout gentleman was. . . . He has anxiously endeavored to call up a recollection of what he saw of that portly personage; and has ever since kept a curious eye on all gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions.

* 1913 , , The Little Nugget , ch. 14:

His portly middle section, rising beyond like a small hill, heaved rhythmically.

* 2011 July 6, Nick Carbone, " Top 10 Worst Fictional Camp Counselors," Time (retrieved 8 May 2014):

In Heavyweights , Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller) is a fitness guru who installs himself as the über-buff leader of Camp Hope, with the goal of helping portly youngsters shed their saggy stomachs and thunder thighs.

*1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.2:

*:Portly his person was, and much increast

Through his Heroicke grace and honourable gest.

* 1728 , , "A Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and Timothy":

Be studious well to imitate

My portly motion, mien, and gait

Adjective

(en adjective)

Of or pertaining to a large mass; weighty, heavy, or bulky.

* {{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1

, passage=But Richmond

Much larger than normal.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author= Chico Harlan

, volume=189, issue=2, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Japan pockets the subsidy […] , passage=Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."}}

Of great significance or import; overwhelming.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Since the launch early last year of […] two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations. University brands built in some cases over centuries have been forced to contemplate the possibility that information technology will rapidly make their existing business model obsolete.}}

(label) Of a specimen not exhibiting crystal form.

Of particularly exceptional quality or value; awesome.

* {{quote-newsgroup, year=1995, date=November 29, author=harry knowles, newsgroup=rec.arts.sf.movies

, title= INDEPENDENCE DAY-----------MASSIVE COOL SPOILERS DON'T OPEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW , passage=Ok true believers here is the low down of massive coolness.}}

* {{quote-newsgroup, year=1998, date=February 13, author=David Farrar, newsgroup=Re: Te Papa

, title= nz.reg.wellington.general , passage=Heaps excited about it - I'm planning for a massive day.}}

* {{quote-newsgroup, year=1998, date=July 2, author=super disco dan, newsgroup=alt.music.beastie-boys

, title= Deasties rock the Hurricane- 06/21/98 , passage=saw the beasties last week in GERMANY at a massive little party called the Hurricane Festival outside Hamburg and here's how it all shook down

* {{quote-newsgroup, year=2003, date=June 11, author=Glenn Wendyhouse, newsgroup=uk.people.gothic

, title= WENDYHOUSE June 21st , passage=OPEN THROUGH THE SUMMER: We are on the 3rd Saturday of the month, remain at the same venue, at the same price, at the same times and always give you a massive night out to remember (unless you've drunk too much bargain University booze!).}}

* {{quote-newsgroup, year=2010, date=July 30, author=Robbie, newsgroup=uk.music.charts

, title= Re: Survivable album chart from 2001 , passage=I own this one, bought it because I liked Slide. The album is quite dull. They were massive back in the day}}

Possessing mass.