Very vs Many - What's the difference?
very | many |
True, real, actual.
:
*Bible, (w) xxvii. 21
*:whether thou be my very son Esau or not
*(John Milton) (1608-1674)
*:The very essence of truth is plainness and brightness.
*(Edmund Burke) (1729-1797)
*:I looked on the consideration of public service or public ornament to be real and very justice.
*
*:Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
*{{quote-news, year=2012, date=November 7, author=Matt Bai, title=Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds, work=New York Times
, passage=The country’s first black president, and its first president to reach adulthood after the Vietnam War and Watergate, Mr. Obama seemed like a digital-age leader who could at last dislodge the stalemate between those who clung to the government of the Great Society, on the one hand, and those who disdained the very idea of government, on the other.}}
The same; identical.
:
*
*:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
With limiting effect: mere.
*, I.40:
*:We have many examples in our daies, yea in very children, of such as for feare of some slight incommoditie have yeelded unto death.
To a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly.
:
*
*:Then his sallow face brightened, for the hall had been carefully furnished, and was very clean. ¶ There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.
*, chapter=13
, title= True, truly.
:
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 an adjective very
is true, real, actual.As an adverb very
is to a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly.As a determiner many is
an indefinite large number of.As a pronoun many is
a collective mass of people.As a noun many is
a multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.very
English
(wikipedia very)Adjective
(en-adj)citation
Synonyms
*Adverb
(-)The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=“[…] They talk of you as if you were Croesus—and I expect the beggars sponge on you unconscionably.” And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes.}}
Usage notes
* When used in their senses as degree adverbs, "very" and "too" never modify verbs.Synonyms
* (to a great extent) ever so, (l) (dialectal), (l) (archaic), (l) (dialectal)Statistics
*Anagrams
*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.}}