Etimology
From Middle English most, moste, from Old English mǣst, māst, from Proto-Germanic *maistaz, *maist. Cognate with Scots mast, maist (“most”), Saterland Frisian maast (“most”), West Frisian meast (“most”), Dutch meest (“most”), German meist (“most”), Danish and Swedish mest (“most”), Icelandic mestur (“most”).
determiner
most
superlative degree of much.
superlative degree of many: the comparatively largest number of (construed with the definite article)
superlative degree of many: the majority of; more than half of (construed without the definite article)
Examples
The teams competed to see who could collect most money.
The team with the most points wins.
Most bakers and dairy farmers have to get up early.
Winning was not important for most participants.
Related words
synonyms
(superlative of much): more than half of (in meaning, not grammar), almost all
(superlative of many): the majority of (in meaning, not grammar)
adverb
most (not comparable)
Forms the superlative of many adjectives.
To a great extent or degree; highly; very.
superlative degree of many (Should we delete(+) this sense?)
superlative degree of much
Examples
Antonym: least
This is the most important example.
Correctness is most important.
With some of it on the south and more of it on the north of the great main thoroughfare that connects Aldgate and the East India Docks, St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London.
“[…] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes […] . And then, when you see [the senders], you probably find that they are the most melancholy old folk with malignant diseases. […]”
This is a most unusual specimen.
Most cruel edict! Sure, thy generous soul, Septimius, abhors the dreadful task of persecution.
A noble craft, but somehow a most melancholy!
Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a strange, and for me, a most fortunate thing.
“His song is most unpleasant,” said the King rubbing his head, “pray bid him cease,” and off went the secretary to argue with the wind.
Antonym: least
Most times when I go hiking I wear boots.
Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product , is a tangle too.
Related words
related terms
more
adjective
most (not comparable)
(slang, dated) The greatest; the best.
Examples
PATTY:They announced this year's nominees for student council. And guess who's up for vice-president? Me! Isn't that the most to say the least?
pronoun
most
The greater part of a group, especially a group of people.
Examples
Most want the best for their children.
The peach was juicier and more flavourful than most.
Related words
synonyms
(greater part): the majority
noun
most (usually uncountable, plural mosts)
(uncountable) The greatest amount.
(countable, uncountable) The greater part.
(countable) A record-setting amount.
Examples
The most I can offer for the house is $150,000.
Most of the penguins were friendly and curious.
Most of the rice was spoiled.
At half-past nine on this Saturday evening the parlor of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors. […] In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for the select circle—a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening for a pipe and a cheerful glass.
The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. […] The second note, the high alarum, not so familiar and always important since it indicates the paramount sin in Man's private calendar, took most of them by surprise although they had been well prepared.
Most of the Himalayan rivers have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. Now the two great Asian powers, India and China, are rushing to harness them as they cut through some of the world's deepest valleys.
Along with their massive size will come other “mosts”: they will likely be the longest living, the best educated, the wealthiest and the most wired/ wireless.
Virginia had a number of "mosts” that made it appealing, if not representative of all Confederate states: the most citizens among the Southern states; the most slaves; the most men under arms; the most famous Southern generals; the most fighting within its borders; the most divided by the war ; and the most damaged by the war.
The record of Elvis' achievement is truly remarkable; his list of “firsts” and “mosts” is probably without parallel in music and entertainment history.
Etimology
Reduction of almost.
adverb
most (not comparable)
(informal, chiefly US) Almost.
Examples
A well-daiquiried redhead eyed him from across the room at Jilly's one night in 1963 — although it could have been most any night ever […]
"We walked there most every day after school."
“Can't be all that bad if Luke likes it. Most everywhere has air-conditioning, he says.”