a. [ Compar. & superl. wanting, but supplied by More and Most from another root. ] [ OE. moche, muche, miche, prob. the same as mochel, muchel, michel, mikel, fr. AS. micel, mycel; cf. Gr. me`gas, fem. mega`lh, great, and Icel. mjök, adv., much. √103. See Mickle. ] 1. Great in quantity; long in duration; as, much rain has fallen; much time. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in. Deut. xxviii. 38. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Many in number. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Edom came out against him with much people. Num. xx. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. High in rank or position. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A great quantity; a great deal; also, an indefinite quantity; as, you have as much as I. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that gathered much had nothing over. Ex. xvi. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Muchin this sense can be regarded as an adjective qualifying a word unexpressed, and may, therefore, be modified by as, so, too, very. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A thing uncommon, wonderful, or noticeable; something considerable. [ 1913 Webster ]

And [ he ] thought not much to clothe his enemies. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make much of, to treat as something of especial value or worth. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Cf. Icel. mjök. See Much, a. ] To a great degree or extent; greatly; abundantly; far; nearly. “Much suffering heroes.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou art much mightier than we. Gen. xxvi. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

Excellent speech becometh not a fool, much less do lying lips a prince. Prov. xvii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Henceforth I fly not death, nor would prolong
Life much. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

All left the world much as they found it. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ √103. See Mickle. ] Much. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Greatness; extent. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The quantity and muchness of time which it filcheth. W. Whately. [ 1913 Webster ]

Much of a muchness, much the same. [ Colloq. ] “Men's men; gentle or simple, they're much of a muchness.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Nearly; almost; much. [ Obs. ] “Muchwhat after the same manner.” Glanvill. [ 1913 Webster ]