mass

Formsmasser, massest

Pluralmasses

Formsmasses, massing, massed

1. 1
   large-scaleadjective

   Involving a very large number of people or things.

   Mass protests filled the streets for several days.

   The factory began mass production of cheap radios.

   UsagePut it before a noun: mass protests.

2. 2
   physicsnouncountable or uncountable

   A measure of how much matter an object has, which is part of why it feels heavy.

   Like the amount of stuff packed inside something: more stuff, more mass.

   The mass of the box was about two kilograms.

   Heavier objects have more mass than lighter ones.

   UsageIn science, mass is not the same as weight.

   Note
3. 3
   body of matternouncountable or uncountable

   A big lump of matter that holds together as one body, or many bits gathered into one.

   Like a big snowball: lots of little bits packed into one lump.

   A big mass of snow slid off the roof and onto the path.

   She squeezed the wet clay into a single mass.

   UsageSay a mass of snow.

   Similarlump, chunk, clump, body, block

   Note
4. 4
   church servicenouncountable or uncountable

   A Christian church service in which bread and wine are blessed and shared.

   They go to Mass every Sunday morning.

   The priest led Mass in the small village chapel.

   UsageSay go to Mass, with a capital M.

   Similarliturgy, Eucharist

5. 5
   crowdnouncountable or uncountable

   A large amount of something, or many people or things together.

   Like a crowd so big it looks like one moving thing.

   A mass of people waited outside the locked gates.

   A huge mass of fans cheered as the team ran out.

   UsageSay a mass of people.

   Similarcrowd, throng, host, multitude, sea

   Note
6. 6
   common peoplenouncountable or uncountableplural

   Ordinary people of the lower social classes, seen as one large group.

   The new leader promised jobs and bread for the masses.

   Politicians make big promises to the masses at election time.

   UsageSay the masses for ordinary people.

   Similarpopulace, multitude, proletariat

   Oppositeelite, aristocracy

   Note
7. 7
   musclenouncountable or uncountable

   Extra muscle that a person builds up through hard training.

   Like adding more bricks to make a wall thicker and stronger.

   He lifted weights every day to build mass.

   Eating more protein helped her gain mass.

   UsageSay build mass or gain mass.

   Similarmuscle, bulk, size

   Note
8. 8
   abnormal lumpnouncountable or uncountable

   A lump in the body that should not be there.

   Like an unexpected lump under the skin that a doctor checks.

   The doctor found a small mass in her left lung.

   Tests showed that the mass was not dangerous.

   UsageLump is the everyday word.

   Similarlump, growth, swelling

   Note
9. 9
   gatherverbtransitive or intransitive

   To gather or come together into one large group.

   Like ants gathering into one big group.

   Crowds mass in the square before the parade starts.

   Soldiers massed near the river overnight.

   UsageSay mass troops when someone gathers them, or troops mass when they gather.

   Similargather, assemble, collect, congregate, accumulate

   Oppositedisperse, scatter

   Note
10. 10
    sizenouncountable or uncountable

    The size or amount of something, especially when it is large.

    Like the huge size of a mountain you can see from far away.

    The sheer mass of the mountain made the climbers feel small.

    Workers marveled at the mass of the giant statue.

    UsageSay the sheer mass of the mountain.

    Similarbulk, size, magnitude, volume

    Note

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