[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/most.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / most [← M](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/M/) # most «most» in Mova's school dictionary: **the biggest amount or number** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech adjective, pronoun, adverb (many/much, more, most); noun (the most) ### meaning for a pupil 1) Most means the biggest amount or number. The one with the most has more than all the others. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m1) 2) Most means nearly all, more than half: «most children like ice cream». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m2) 3) Most makes long adjectives into «the biggest» form: «the most beautiful». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m3) 4) «At most» means that number or less, not more. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m4) 5) (casual, US) «Most» is clipped «almost»: «most everyone came». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m5) 6) (casual) «The most» can mean very: «that's the most fun ever»; «make the most of it» means use it well. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m6) 7) (formal) «Most» means very: «a most interesting question»; «the maximum», «the majority» and «not exceeding» are stiff words: «The majority of respondents…» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#m7) ### sense in the lessons In school maths: a comparison — the largest number; «at most» means no more than (an upper limit); «most of» means more than half; the mode is the value that comes up most often; bar graphs (the tallest bar). In everyday life: «most of the time», «make the most of» (use well). In casual talk: «who got the most?», «mostest» (jokey, wrong). In the exam voice: «the maximum number», «the majority», «a capacity not exceeding 4». Phrases: «at most», «the most», «most of», «make the most of», «for the most part», «at the very most». ### examples - Who has the most apples? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x1) - Which day had the most rain? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x2) - At most 4 children fit in a car. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x3) - Most of the pupils walk to school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x4) - The tallest bar shows the class that read the most books. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x5) - She is the most helpful person I know. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x6) - Let's make the most of the sunny weather. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x7) - The mode is the number that appears most often. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x8) - who got the most sweets, i got 7 (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x9) - You've got the most and you're still moaning? Greedy git. (rough) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x10) - That is a most interesting question. (formal) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x11) - Each vehicle has a capacity not exceeding 4 passengers; determine the minimum number of vehicles required for 18. (formal exam) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x12) - They complain most who suffer least. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/#x13) ### note «The most» + long adjective (the most famous); short adjectives take -est (the tallest), not «the most tall». Opposite: «least» or «fewest». Maths: points to the largest value, or an upper limit. Trap: «at most» means no more than; «most of» is more than half, not all. Trap: formal «a most kind offer» means very kind, not the biggest. Formal «the majority» = most (more than half); «not exceeding» = at most. ### In the corpora - [These things are worrying, but they are almost never anyone's fault at home, and most families get through them.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/3/) - [Most grown-ups keep their money in a bank account, and most of it is never seen as notes and coins.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/7-cards-banks-and-apps/0/) - [Some cash machines charge a fee for taking out money, while most bank ones are free.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/7-cards-banks-and-apps/18/) - [Most adults have some, like a mortgage or a car loan, and planned debt can be fine.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/8-borrowing-and-debt/1/) - [The easiest money is usually the most expensive kind.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/8-borrowing-and-debt/5/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «most» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/most/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.