mass

noun

• 1a large body of matter with no definite shape:the sun broke out from behind a mass of clouds
• any of the main portions in a painting or drawing that each have some unity in colour, lighting, or some other quality: the masterly distribution of masses

• 2a large number of people or objects crowded together:a mass of cyclists
• a large amount of material:a mass of conflicting evidence
• (masses) informal a large quantity or amount of something:we get masses of homework

• 3 (the mass of) the majority of:the mass of the people think that the problems are caused by government inefficiency
• (the masses) the ordinary people: seaside towns that catered for the masses

• 4 [mass noun] Physics the quantity of matter which a body contains, as measured by its acceleration under a given force or by the force exerted on it by a gravitational field: stellar objects of intermediate mass
• (in general use) weight: multiply the mass of the payload by the distance travelled

adjective

• involving or affecting large numbers of people or things:the film has mass appeal a mass exodus of refugees

verb

• assemble or cause to assemble into a single body or mass: [with object]:both countries began massing troops in the region [no object]:clouds massed heavily on the horizon