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used with plural nouns and verbs, especially in negative sentences or in more formal English, to mean ‘a large number of’. Also used in questions to ask about the size of a number, and with ‘as’, ‘so’ and ‘too’. 许多（与复数名词及动词连用，尤用于否定句或正式用语，表示大量；也用于疑问句以询问数字大小，并可与 as、so 和 too 连用） We don't have very many copies left. 我们所剩的册数不多。 You can't have one each. We haven't got many. 你们不能一人一个。我们没有很多。 Many people feel that the law should be changed. 许多人都觉得这项法律应该修改。 Many of those present disagreed. 许多到场的人都不同意。 How many children do you have? 你有几个孩子？ There are too many mistakes in this essay. 这篇文章错误太多。 He made ten mistakes in as many (= in ten) lines. 他在十行中就出了十个错。 New drivers have twice as many accidents as experienced drivers. 新手司机所出的事故是熟练司机的两倍。 Don't take so many. 别拿这么多。 I've known her for a great many (= very many) years. 我认识她好多好多年了。 Even if one person is hurt that is one too many. 即使伤一个人，都嫌太多。 It was one of my many mistakes. 这是我犯的许多错误中的一个。 a many-headed monster 一只多头怪兽
Grammar Point many / a lot (of) / lots (of)many / a lot (of) / lots (of)- Many is used only with countable nouns. It is used mainly in questions and negative sentences:
many 只与可数名词连用，主要用于疑问句和否定句中： Do you go to many concerts? 你常去听音乐会吗？ How many people came to the meeting? 多少人来参加了会议？ I don’t go to many concerts. 我不常去听音乐会。
该词在陈述句中不很常用，但用于 so、as 和 too 之后： You made too many mistakes. 你犯的错误太多了。
- In statements a lot (of) or lots (of) (informal) are much more common:
在陈述句中 a lot of 或 lots of（非正式）常用得多： I go to a lot of concerts. 我常去听音乐会。 ‘How many shows did you see?’ ‘Lots!’ “你看了几场演出，”。“很多，”。
不过，上述词语不与表示时间和距离的量词连用： I stayed in England for many/quite a few/ten weeks. 我在英格兰逗留了许多周／好几周／十周。 - I stayed in England a lot of weeks.
Lots of people like Italian food. 许多人喜欢意大利食物。
亦可用 plenty of（非正式）： Plenty of stores stay open late. 许多商店都营业到很晚。
以上短语亦可用于疑问句和否定句中。 - A lot of/lots of is still felt to be informal, especially in British English, so in formal writing it is better to use many or a large number of in statements.
- the many
used with a plural verb to mean ‘most people’ （与复数动词连用）大多数人 a government which improves conditions for the many 为大多数人改善生活条件的政府
- many a(formal)
used with a singular noun and verb to mean ‘a large number of’ （与单数名词及动词连用）许多，大量
Word OriginOld English manig, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch menig and German manch.
Idioms
as many as…
have had one too many
- (informal)
to be slightly drunk 微醉；醉意朦胧
many’s the…