different between much vs anything

English

Etymology

From Middle English muche (“much, great”), apocopated variant of muchel (“much, great”), from Old English micel (“big, much”), from Proto-Germanic *mikilaz (“great, many, much”), from Proto-Indo-European *me?h?- (“big, stour, great”). See also mickle, muckle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m?t??/
• Rhymes: -?t?

Determiner

much (comparative more, superlative most)

1. A large amount of. [from 13^thc.]

   Hurry! We don't have much time!

   They set about the task with much enthusiasm.

   • 1816, Jane Austen, Persuasion:

     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.

2. (in combinations such as 'as much', 'this much') Used to indicate, demonstrate or compare the quantity of something.

   Add this much water and no more.

   Take as much time as you like.

3. (now archaic or nonstandard) A great number of; many (people). [from 13^thc.]
   • 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.

4. (now Caribbean, African-American) Many ( + plural countable noun). [from 13^thc.]
   • 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

• Much 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, much is frequently modified by intensifying adverbs, as in “too much”, “very much”, “so much”, “not much”, and so on. (The same is true of many.)

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

• little

Related terms

• how much
• too much

Translations

Adjective

much (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Large, great. [12^th-16^thc.]
2. (obsolete) Long in duration.

Adverb

much (comparative more, superlative most)

1. To a great extent.
2. Often; frequently.

3. (in combinations such as 'as much', 'this much') Used to indicate or compare extent.

   I don't like Wagner as much as I like Mozart.

4. (obsolete) Almost.

Usage notes

• As a verb modifier in positive contexts, much 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.
• May be used in humorous questions to draw attention to somebody's undesirable behaviour: "desperate much?", "cherry-picking much?", etc.

Synonyms

• (to a great extent): (informal) a great deal, (informal) a lot, greatly, highly, (informal) loads, plenty (slang, especially US), very much

Antonyms

• (to a great extent): less, little, few, almost, nearly,

Derived terms

Translations

Pronoun

much

1. A large amount or great extent.

   From those to whom much has been given much is expected.

   We lay awake for much of the night.

Anagrams

• Chum, chum

Chuukese

Verb

much

1. to end

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mux/

Noun

much

1. genitive plural of moucha

Old Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mut??]

Adverb

much

1. Apocopic form of mucho; very, greatly
   • c. 1200, Almerich, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 36r.

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mux/

Noun

much

1. genitive plural of mucha

Yucatec Maya

Noun

much

1. Obsolete spelling of muuch

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??n.i.???/
• (Ireland) IPA^(key): /?æ.ni.???/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??.n?.???/, /??.ni.???/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /??.n?.???/
• Hyphenation: an?y?thing

Etymology 1

From Middle English anything, enything, onything, from Late Old English aniþing, from earlier ?ni? þing (literally “any thing”), equivalent to any +? thing.

Pronoun

anything

1. Any object, act, state, event, or fact whatever; a thing of any kind; something or other.

   Synonym: aught
2. (with “as” or “like”) Expressing an indefinite comparison.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

anything (plural anythings)

1. Someone or something of importance.

Related terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English anything, enything, onything, onythynge, from Old English ?ni?e þinga, ?n?i þinga (literally “by any of things”), from ?ni?e, instrumental form of ?ni? (“any”) + þinga, genitive plural of þing (“thing”).

Adverb

anything (not comparable)

1. In any way, any extent or any degree.

   That isn't anything like a car.

   She's not anything like as strong as me.

References

• anything in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• Thingyan