mass

mass1 [ mæs ] noun ***

▸ 1 large quantity/number

▸ 2 something without clear shape

▸ 3 large number of people

▸ 4 religious ceremony

▸ 5 scientific use

1. ) count a large quantity or number:

mass of: We need to turn this mass of evidence into a coherent argument.

There's a mass of competing anti-virus programs you can choose from.

a ) be a mass of to be covered in or full of something:

She had fallen down the stairs and her body was a mass of bruises.

b ) masses plural mass of MAINLY BRITISH INFORMAL a lot:

Masses of people attended the meeting.

2. ) count a lump or amount of a substance that does not have a clear or definite shape:

The vegetables had turned into a sticky mass at the bottom of the pan.

mass of: All that was left of the car was a mass of twisted metal.

a mass of dark cloud

3. ) singular a large crowd of people:

a seething mass (=moving in all directions): a seething mass of protesters

mass of: A mass of people followed the procession.

a ) the mass of something the majority of something:

The mass of the population could not afford such goods.

b ) the masses plural ordinary people who are not rich or famous. This word usually shows that you think ordinary people are not important or intelligent:

It is entertainment that will appeal to the masses.

4. ) mass or Mass count or uncount the main religious ceremony of the Roman Catholic church:

They go to mass every Sunday.

a ) count a piece of music written for some of the prayers in the mass:

Bach's Mass in B Minor

5. ) uncount SCIENCE the amount of MATTER (=physical substance) that something contains

=> CRITICAL MASS

mass

mass 2 [ mæs ] adjective only before noun **

involving or affecting a large number of people:

weapons of mass destruction

the problem of mass unemployment

mass

mass 3 [ mæs ] verb intransitive

to come together to form a large group:

Troops are massing along the southern border.

a. transitive to bring people together to form a large group:

More than 5,000 police were massed within two days.