Most

Most (mōst) , adjective

[Old English most, mast, mest, Anglo-Saxon mast; akin to Dutch meest, Old Saxon mēst, German meist, Icelandic mestr, Gothic maists; a superl. corresponding to English more. r103. See More, a.]

Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all.

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness. — Bible (KJV) - Proverb xx. 6

The cities wherein most of his mighty works were done. — Matt. xi. 20

Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it.

In the moste pride. — Chaucer

Highest in rank; greatest. [Obsolete] — Chaucer

A quarter of a year or some months at the most. — Bacon

A covetous man makes the most of what he has. — L'Estrange

Most is used as a noun, the words part, portion, quantity, etc., being omitted, and has the following meanings: 1. The greatest value, number, or part; preponderating portion; highest or chief part. 2. The utmost; greatest possible amount, degree, or result; especially in the phrases to make the most of, at the most, at most.

Collocations (2)

For the most part , in reference to the larger part of a thing, or to the majority of the persons, instances, or things referred to; as, human beings, for the most part, are superstitious; the view, for the most part, was pleasing.

Most an end , generally. See An end, under End, n. [Obsolete] She sleeps most an end. — Massinger

Most , adverb

[Anglo-Saxon mast. See Most, a.]

In the greatest or highest degree.

Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates. — Milton

The most unkindest cut of all. — Shakespeare

The most straitest sect of our religion. — Acts xxvi. 5

Placed before an adjective or adverb, most is used to form the superlative degree, being equivalent to the termination -est; as, most vile, most wicked; most illustrious; most rapidly. Formerly, and until after the Elizabethan period of our literature, the use of the double superlative was common. See More, adv.