mass

Noun (1)

mass (countable and uncountable, plural masses)

1. (physical) A quantity of matter cohering so as to make one body, or an aggregation of particles or things which collectively make one body or quantity, usually of considerable size.
   • And if it were not for theſe Principles the Bodies of the Earth, Planets, Comets, Sun, and all things in them would grow cold and freeze, and become inactive Maſſes ; […].1718 [1704], Isaac Newton, Opticks, 2nd edition
   • […] and because a deep mass of continual sea is slower stirred to rage.1821 [1582], George Buchanan, The History of Scotland, from the Earliest Accounts of that Nation, to the Reign of King James VI, volume 1 (in English), translation of Rerum Scoticarum Historia by an...
2. (obsolete, physical) Precious metal, especially gold or silver.
   • Right in the midst the Goddesse selfe did stand / Upon an altar of some costly masse […].1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.10
3. (physical) A measure of the inertia of a mass of matter, one of four fundamental properties of matter. SI unit of mass: kilogram.
4. (physical) A medicinal substance made into a cohesive, homogeneous lump, of consistency suitable for making pills.
   • blue mass
5. (physical) A palpable or visible abnormal globular structure.
   • Near-synonym: lump

   Synonyms:

   lump

6. (physical) Excess body mass, especially in the form of muscle hypertrophy.
   • After all, muscle maniacs go "ga ga" over mass no matter how it's presented.1988, Steve Holman, “Christian Conquers Columbus”, in Ironman, volume 47, number 6, pages 28–34
7. A large quantity; a sum.
   • […]he hath discovered to me the way to five or six of the richest mines which the Spaniard hath, and whence all the mass of gold that comes into Spain in effect is drawn.1829, Sir Walter Raleigh, The Works of Sir Walter Ralegh, Kt, volume VIII
   • For though he had spent a huge mass of treasure in transporting his army, […].1869, Alexander George Richey, Lectures on the History of Ireland: Down to A. D. 1534, page 204
   1. Bulk; magnitude; body; size.
      • Witness this army of such mass and charge / Led by a delicate and tender prince,c. 1599-1601, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, act 4, scene 4
   2. The principal part; the main body.
      • Night closed upon the pursuit, and aided the mass of the fugitives in their escape.1881, Thucydides, translated by Benjamin Jowett, Thucydides translated into English, volume 1, page 310
   3. A large body of individuals, especially persons.
      • The mass of spectators didn't see the infraction on the field.
      • A mass of ships converged on the beaches of Dunkirk.
   4. (in plural) The lower classes of persons.
      • The masses are revolting.

Verb (1)

mass (third-person singular simple present masses, present participle massing, simple past and past participle massed)

1. (ergative) To form or collect into a mass; to form into a collective body; to assemble.
   • They would unavoidably mix up the whole of these declarations, and mass them together, although the Judge might direct the Jury not to do so.1829, William Burke, John Macnee, Trial of William Burke and Helen M'Dougal: Before the High Court of Judiciary, William Hare
   • Every bend on the hill had acted like a funnel to mass them together in this peculiar way.1857, Edward Henry Nolan, The Illustrated History of the War against Russia, Parts 93-111, page 432

   Synonyms:

   round up, weigh

Adjective

mass (not generally comparable, comparative masser, superlative massest)

1. (not comparable, usually) Involving a mass of things; concerning a large quantity or number.
   • There is evidence of mass extinctions in the distant past.
   • The national liberation movement had not yet developed to a sufficiently mass scale.1988, V. V. Zagladin, Vitaly Baskakov, International Working Class and Communist Movement: Historical Record, 1830s to Mid-1940s, page 236
2. (not comparable, usually) Involving a mass of people; of, for, or by the masses.
   • Mass unemployment resulted from the financial collapse.
   • Every agency is sold on use of mass media today — or at least, it thinks it is — and what can be "masser" than television?1958, Child Welfare, volume 37, page 2

Noun (2)

mass (plural masses)

1. The Eucharist, now especially in Roman Catholicism.
2. Celebration of the Eucharist.
3. (broadly) The main kind of church service, in some denominations.
   • She went to mass every Sunday for many years, and when she retired, she took to going on some weekdays, too.
4. (usually) The sacrament of the Eucharist.
5. A musical setting of parts of the mass.

Verb (2)

mass (third-person singular simple present masses, present participle massing, simple past and past participle massed)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To celebrate mass.
   • massing priests[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page)

Noun (3) capitalized: Mass

IPA/ˈmæs/

Mass (countable and uncountable, plural Masses)

1. The principal liturgical service of the Church, encompassing both a scripture service (Liturgy of the Word) and a eucharistic service (Liturgy of the Eucharist), which includes the consecration and oblation (offering) of the host and wine.
2. A similar ceremony offered by a number of Christian churches.
3. A musical composition set to portions, or all, of the Mass.

Proper noun capitalized: Mass

IPA/ˈmæs/

Mass

1. (abbreviation) Abbreviation of Massachusetts.
   • the Mass Pike
2. (alternative) Alternative form of Mas.