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Very vs Much - What's the difference?

very | much | Synonyms |

Much is a synonym of very.



As adverbs the difference between very and much

is that very is to a great extent or degree; extremely; exceedingly while much is to a great extent.

As an adjective very

is true, real, actual.

As a determiner much is

large, great.

As a pronoun much is

a large amount or great extent.

very

English

(wikipedia very)

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • 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 citation
    • , 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.

    • Synonyms

    *

    Adverb

    (-)
  • 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= 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.}}
  • True, truly.
  • :

    • 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

    *

    much

    English

    (wikipedia much)

    Determiner

  • (label) Large, great.
  • *:
  • *:Thenne launcelot vnbarred the dore / and with his lyfte hand he held it open a lytel / so that but one man myghte come in attones / and soo there came strydyng a good knyghte a moche man and large / and his name was Colgreuaunce / of Gore / and he with a swerd strake at syr launcelot my?tely and he put asyde the stroke
  • A large amount of.
  • *1816 , (Jane Austen), :
  • *:As it was, he did nothing with much zeal, but sport; and his time was otherwise trifled away, without benefit from books or anything else.
  • *2011 , "Wisconsin and wider", The Economist , 24 February:
  • *:Unless matters take a nastier turn, neither side has much incentive to compromise.
  • *:
  • *:ye shall not nede to seke hym soo ferre sayd the Kynge / for as I here saye sir Launcelot will abyde me and yow in the Ioyous gard / and moche peple draweth vnto hym as I here saye
  • *1526 , Bible , tr. (William Tyndale), Matthew VI:
  • *:When Jesus was come downe from the mountayne, moch people folowed him.
  • *1897 , (Bram Stoker), (Dracula) :
  • *:There wasn't much people about that day.
  • *1977 , (Bob Marley), So Much Things to Say :
  • *:They got so much' things to say right now, they got so ' much things to say.

    • Usage notes

    * is now generally used with uncountable nouns. The equivalent used with countable nouns is many. In positive contexts, much'' is widely avoided: ''I have a lot of''' money'' instead of ''I have '''much''' money''. There are some exceptions to this, however: ''I have '''much hope for the future. * Unlike many determiners, .)

    Synonyms

    * (informal) a great deal of, (informal) a lot of

    Antonyms

    * little

    Derived terms

    * how much * overmuch

    Adverb

  • To a great extent.
  • *
    • They stayed together during three dances, went out on to the terrace, explored wherever they were permitted to explore, paid two visits to the buffet, and enjoyed themselves much in the same way as if they had been school-children surreptitiously breaking loose from an assembly of grown-ups.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 20, author=Michael da Silva, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Stoke 3-0 Macc Tel-Aviv , passage=Tangling with Ziv, Cameron caught him with a flailing elbow, causing the Israeli defender to go down a little easily. However, the referee was in no doubt, much to the displeasure of the home fans.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much . Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}
  • Often; frequently.

    • Usage notes

    * As a verb modifier in positive contexts, must be modified by another adverb: I like fish very much''''', ''I like fish '''so much''''', etc. but not *''I like fish '''much . * As a comparative intensifier, many'' can be used instead of ''much'' if it modifies the comparative form of ''many'', i.e. ''more'' with a countable noun: ''many''' more people'' but '''''much more snow .

    Synonyms

    * (to a great extent) (informal) a great deal, (informal) a lot, greatly, highly, (informal) loads, plenty , very much

    Antonyms

    * (to a great extent) less, little, few

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)
  • A large amount or great extent.
    • From those to whom much''' has been given '''much is expected.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 200 English basic words English degree adverbs English locatives 1000 English basic words ----