many a
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Determiner:
- Used to indicate a large but indefinite number of individual items or people, considered one at a time: "Many a" is a literary or formal phrase used with a singular noun and verb to emphasize that something is true for a large number of individual cases.
Usage
- "Many a" is always followed by a singular countable noun (e.g., man, day, time) and a singular verb. It is equivalent in meaning to "many" followed by a plural noun, but it focuses on the individual instances within the group.
- It is more common in written English, literature, and formal speech than in everyday conversation.
Examples
- Determiner:
- Many a man has tried to climb that mountain. (This emphasizes that numerous individual men have attempted it.)
- Many a true word is spoken in jest. (This is a proverb meaning that jokes often contain truth.)
- I have spent many an hour reading in this library. (This emphasizes many individual hours spent.)
Advanced Usage
- "Many a time": A common fixed phrase meaning "on many occasions."
- Many a time I have warned him about the dangers.
- "Many a long year": A poetic phrase emphasizing a very long duration.
- They have been friends for many a long year.
Variants and Related Words
- Many (determiner/pronoun): Used with plural nouns and verbs to indicate a large number.
- Many people have tried.
- Many's the (phrase): A similar literary construction, often used to start a sentence.
- Many's the time I've thought about leaving. (This means "There have been many times when I've thought about leaving.")
Synonyms
- Numerous: Consisting of many items.
- Countless: Too many to be counted.
- A great many: A large number (used with plural nouns).
Notes
- Do not confuse "many a" with "many of the." "Many a" is used with a singular noun without an article (e.g., many a soldier). "Many of the" is used with a plural noun and a definite article (e.g., many of the soldiers).
- There are no direct phrasal verbs or idioms formed with "many a" itself, as it functions as a fixed determiner phrase.
Adjective
- each of a large indefinite number
- many a man
- many another day will come