adj. Superlative of many., much.
- Greatest in number: won the most votes.
- Greatest in amount, extent, or degree: has the most compassion.
- In the greatest number of instances: Most fish have fins.
- The greatest amount or degree: She has the most to gain.
- Slang. The greatest, best, or most exciting. Used with the: That party was the most!
(used with a sing. or pl. verb) The greatest part or number: Most of the town was destroyed. Most of the books were missing.
adv. Superlative of much.
- In or to the highest degree or extent. Used with many adjectives and adverbs to form the superlative degree: most honest; most impatiently.
- Very: a most impressive piece of writing.
- Informal. Almost: Most everyone agrees.
at (the) most
- At the maximum: We saw him for ten minutes at the most. She ran two miles at most.
[Middle English, from Old English mǣst, māst. Adv., sense 3, short for ALMOST.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
