Dictionary
mass
Pronunciation: (mas), [key]—
n.
1. a body of coherent matter, usually of indefinite shape and often of considerable size:
a mass of dough.
2. a collection of incoherent particles, parts, or objects regarded as forming one body:
a mass of sand.
3. aggregate; whole (usually prec. by
in the):
People, in the mass, mean well.
4. a considerable assemblage, number, or quantity:
a mass of errors; a mass of troops.
5. bulk, size, expanse, or massiveness:
towers of great mass and strength.
6. Fine Arts.
a. Painting.an expanse of color or tone that defines form or shape in general outline rather than in detail.
b. a shape or three-dimensional volume that has or gives the illusion of having weight, density, and bulk.
7. the main body, bulk, or greater part of anything:
the great mass of American films.
8. Physics.the quantity of matter as determined from its weight or from Newton's second law of motion.
Abbr.: m Cf.
weight (def. 2),
relativistic mass, rest mass.
9. Pharm.a preparation of thick, pasty consistency, from which pills are made.
10. the masses, the ordinary or common people as a whole; the working classes or the lower social classes.
—
adj.
1. pertaining to, involving, or affecting a large number of people:
mass unemployment; mass migrations; mass murder.
2. participated in or performed by a large number of people, esp. together in a group:
mass demonstrations; mass suicide.
3. pertaining to, involving, or characteristic of the mass of the people:
the mass mind; a movie designed to appeal to a mass audience.
4. reaching or designed to reach a large number of people:
television, newspapers, and other means of mass communication.
5. done on a large scale or in large quantities:
mass destruction.
—
v.i.
to come together in or form a mass or masses:
The clouds are massing in the west.
—
v.t.
to gather into or dispose in a mass or masses; assemble:
The houses are massed in blocks. Mass
Pronunciation: (mas), [key]—
n.
1. the celebration of the Eucharist. Cf.
High Mass, Low Mass.
2. (sometimes l.c.) a musical setting of certain parts of this service, as the Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei.
Mass.
Massachusetts.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
