moadv.¹pron.¹n.¹adj.¹

Brit.

/məʊ/, U.S.

/moʊ/, Scottish English

/mo/

Forms:

α. Old English mæ (Anglian), Old English mæe (Anglian), Old English–Middle English ma, Old English (Anglian)–Middle English mae, Middle English may, Middle English maye, Middle English–1500s maa, 1500s me; English regional 1600s meay (northern), 1700s– meea (Yorkshire), 1800s– mae (northern), 1800s– may (northern); Scottish pre-1700 maa, pre-1700 may, pre-1700 maye, pre-1700 me, pre-1700 mea, pre-1700 mei, pre-1700 1700s– ma, pre-1700 1700s– mae.

β. late Old English–1800s (1900s– English regional (Lancashire)) mo, early Middle English moa, Middle English–1500s (1800s– English regional (Staffordshire)) moo, late Middle English–1800s moe, 1500s mooe; Scottish pre-1700 1700s mo, pre-1700 1700s–1800s moe.

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian mā , mē , Middle Dutch mee , Middle Low German mē , Middle High German mē (early modern German meh ), Old Icelandic meir , Old Swedish mer (Swedish mer ), Danish mer , Gothic mais (the West Germanic forms show loss of final *-z ) < a suffixed (comparative) form of the Indo-European base of mere adj.¹; compare (with a different ablaut grade) Oscan mais, Early Irish, Irish mó, Albanian më.For adverbial forms in -r in English and other West Germanic languages influenced by or developed from adjectival forms, see more adv.; some of the forms without -r in continental West Germanic languages may in turn show shortening of these forms, rather than inherited forms. With the Old English (Anglian) form mǣ compare mǣst (see most adv.). By the end of the 17th cent. the β form mo was replaced (except in certain regional dialects) by more in all uses that were still current. Although the distinction was better preserved in many of those regional dialects which had the α form, it was not universally maintained: for example, G. H. Cowling, Dial. Hackness (1915) 117, reports that /mɛːə/, the α form of this word in that dialect, and /mɛːə(r)/, the northern form of more, ‘are now confused, owing to the loss of r before consonants’.

Now Scottish and English regional (northern).

A. adv.¹

I. In a greater degree, etc.

†1. In or to a greater degree, extent, or quantity. Also: more energetically, conscientiously, or diligently. Obsolete. mo and mo: increasingly.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adverb] > in or to a greater quantity, amount, or degree

moeOE

moreOE

mo'1879

the world > relative properties > quantity > increase in quantity, amount, or degree > increasing in quantity, amount, or degree [phrase] > increasingly

mo and moeOE

more and morec1175

the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > in or to a greater degree or extent

moeOE

moreOE

furtherc1050

greaterc1230

furthermorea1300

heldera1400

largerlya1425

any more1533

farthera1535

furtherfortha1542

preferentially1864

worse1883

much more1912

eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) li. 3 (5) Dilexisti malitiam super benignitatem, iniquitatem magis quam loqui aequitatem : ðu lufedes hete ofer freamsumnisse, unrehtwisnisse mae ðon spreocan rehtwisnisse.

eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) iv. xxx. 370 Ðæt he mid his halwendum trymenessum to ðæm upplican lustum ma & ma onbærned wære.

OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) cxxxv. 174 Þonne is þæt oðer cyn [of abrotanum] greaton bogum & swyþe smælon leafon swylce heo ma fexede gesewen sy.

lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Bodl.) xxxii. 73 Hit þær ne weaxð þe ma ðe gimmas weaxað on wingeardum.

a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 9 Na ma ne mei me her god don for þere saule þe on þis liue god bi-ȝinnen nalde.

c1330 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 35 (MED) Is nan so þra of hem þre Þat ma merres þan me; Bisier mai nan be.

?c1335 (a1300) Land of Cokaygne 101 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 147 Þer beþ briddes mani and fale..Ȝite I do ȝow mo to witte: Þe Gees irostid on þe spitte Fleez to þat abbai, [etc.].

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5532 (MED) Þis folk multiplid ai maa [a1400 Trin. Cambr. multeplied moo & moo].

?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 171 (MED) Lauandre..is mo lengger lewys þanne ysope.

?1503–5 H. Watson tr. Valentine & Orson 178/2 And for to greue him the mo he hathe renounced Mahounde.

c1580 ( tr. Bk. Alexander (1921) II. ii. 1579 The folk of Grece fast on vs gonis, And lakkis vs maa, I trow, na lowis.

II. Additionally.

2. Longer, further, again, besides. Chiefly qualified by any, no, none; ever, never. Cf. evermoe adv., nathemo adv., nevermo adv.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > frequency > [adverb] > anew or again

moeOE

of newOE

yetOE

againOE

newlyOE

once morelOE

anewc1305

newa1325

i-gainc1325

againwardc1380

upon new1399

freshlya1413

newlings1440

of the newc1449

afreshc1450

of (also on) fresh1490

for the newc1535

backwardly1552

over againa1568

over1598

de novo1627

all over1811

the world > time > duration > [adverb] > for a long time > for a longer time

moeOE

lengc1000

lengerc1200

overmorea1450

farther1548

no mo'1855

eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) lii. 405 Gif hwelc wif forlæt hiere ceorl, & nimð hire oðerne, wenestu recce he hire æfre ma, oððe mæg hio æfre eft cuman to him swa clænu swa hio ær wæs?

OE Blickling Homilies 247 Þæt wæter oflan, and ma of heora muþe hit ne eode.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 4206 Þatt næfre ma ne shall he ben. O nane wise filedd.

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7381 (MED) To þe hauene of sein walri þe duc wende þo..& abide mo.

c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 691 It is an impossible That any clerk wol speke good of wyues, But if it be of holy seintes lyues, Nof noon oother womman neuer the mo.

c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 864 Now kan no man se none elues mo.

c1440 (?a1400) Sir Perceval (1930) 867 (MED) Siche dedis to do moo Was þe childe fayne.

a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 2722 Nor let no mo suche thoughtez yow assayle.

1584 G. Peele Araygnem. Paris v. i. sig. Eij^v Without mislike or quarrell any moe, Pallas shall rest content.

1591 R. Greene Maidens Dreame xv No foreign wit could Hatton's overgo: Yet to a friend wise, simple, and no mo.

1679 in J. Fletcher et al. Queene of Corinth (new ed.) (song) iii. ii in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher 50 Comedies & Trag. sig. B3/2 Grief is but a wound to woe Gent'lest fair, mourne, mourne no moe.

1798 D. Crawford Poems 2 Thae scraps, an' a wheen mae.

1812 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Cantos I & II i. xciii. 58 Ye..Shall find some tidings in a future page, If he that rhymeth now may scribble moe.

1920 A. Gray Songs & Ballads 26 I ettled sair to rise up And meet my love ance mae.

B. pron.¹ and n.¹ [These uses originated from the adverb, but those that survived into modern English were probably regarded as elliptical uses of the adjective (determiner) on the same pattern as that of words such as much, many, and more.]

I. Something greater.

1. A greater number; more individuals of the kind specified or implied. Const. than.In Old English, when mā is the subject the verb is singular. Subsequently, mo in this sense has been treated as an adjective with ellipsis of a plural noun, and therefore takes a plural verb.

†a. In early use, with partitive genitive plural; later, with of. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [noun] > greater number, majority

moeOE

unfewc1175

most?a1400

most forcea1400

substancea1413

overmatch1542

flush1592

the (great, vast) mass of1604

the millions1604

stream1614

numbers1638

the multiplicity of1639

majority1650

eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. ii. 102 Gif he þonne eow eac forhogie & eow ne wille arisan togegnes, mid þy eower ma is, sy he þonne from eow forhogad.

OE Blickling Homilies 61 Weana ma þonne æniges mannes gemet sy þæt hie ariman mæge.

OE Blickling Homilies 35 Ne bið þara fæstendaga na ma þonne syx & þritig.

lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1106 Se steorra ætywde innon þæt suð west... Gehwylce sædon þæt hig ma on þison timon uncuðra steorra gesawon.

a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 27 (MED) Ma monna ic scolde biȝeten swa.

c1387–95 G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. 576 Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) ii. l. 192 Off ws thai haiff wndoyne may than ynew.

1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke vii. vi. 144 b Of these valiant beggers there be in euery place mo then a great meny.

c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) iv. 23 Ther is maye of the sect of sardanapalus amang vs, nor ther is of scipions.

1630 R. Norton tr. W. Camden Hist. Princesse Elizabeth i. 19 The Papists murmured, that moe of the Protestants were chosen of set purpose.

†b. Without partitive genitive or its equivalent. Often: = more persons. †mo twice: twice as many. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

OE Laws of Edgar (Nero E.i) iv. v. 210 To ælcere byrig XXXVI syn gecorone to gewitnesse; to smalum burgum & to ælcum hundrode XII, buton ge ma willan.

OE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Cambr. Univ. Libr.) i. xi. 48 Heora monige heora feondum on hand eodan; & gyt ma wæs þe þæt don ne wolde.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 141 Muchele mo fareð on þisse sæ..fuliende þe leome of penitence..þane don þe leome of maiðhod.

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 25 Her sitteð þe auez, fifti oðer hundret, oðer ma oðer leas.

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 39 Ma [a1250 Nero Mo] sleað word þen sweord.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) 12036 Heo..iseȝen scipen, an & an, while ma [c1300 Otho mo], while nan.

c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) 808 Her buþ paens ariued Wel mo þane fiue.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) xi. l. 113 And I haiff seyn may twys in-to Scotland With ȝon Ilk king.

1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1888) I. 129 In mony places thryse in ye oulk, and in fer may nocht anis in the moneth.

1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie i. x. 70 Vnto life many implements are necessarie; moe, if we seek..such a life as [etc.].

1655 Cramond Kirk Session 6 Feb. Considering..that the sessioun were not able to sustane any moe nor they sustaine presentlie.

†c. and mo (also or mo): and (also, or) a larger number than that specified. (Frequently used to express an indefinite excess over a number stated approximately.) Similarly one or mo. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

OE Cynewulf Elene 634 Hu mæg ic þæt findan þæt swa fyrn gewearð wintra gangum? Is nu worn sceacen, CC oððe ma geteled rime.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 135 (MED) His michelnesse was unhiled on ten fold wise and mo.

c1300 St. Michael (Laud) 490 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 313 For þe man þat miȝte go euereche daye fourty mile, and ȝeot sumdel mo.

c1330 (?a1300) Sir Tristrem (1886) l. 613 (MED) He..redily ȝaf him..Ten schilinges and ma.

1473 in J. Stuart & G. Burnett Exchequer Rolls Scotl. (1885) VIII. 153 To mak and depute subtennandis undir him in the said landis ane or maa as he thinkis maste expedient.

a1475 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) 3872 Men sholen him axe if þis world here Shal dure seuene þousand ȝere. And..he shal..seie, ‘ȝe and mo wiþ–al.’

1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. ciiii^v His scheild he chopit hym fra In tuenty pecis and ma.

1599 Act Sed. 3 Nov. (1790) 30 That the secretarie..mak and constitut particular deputts, ane or mae.

1617–18 W. Lawson New Orchard & Garden (1623) Pref. sig. A iij^v A..way of planting, which I haue found good by 48. yeeres (and moe) experience.

1668 in M. Wood Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1950) X. 45 Any two or moe..of the town officers.

1688 Irvine Deeds (MS) in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue (1973) IV. 2/1 Acts..ane or mae..to raise.

1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess iii. 105 'Twill tak this seven year I fear an' mae.

†d. mo and mo: used to express a progressive increase in numbers. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > increase in quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > progressive increase

mo and moOE

crescendo1785

spiral1931

escalation1938

spiralling1944

snowballing1966

OE Ælfric Homily: De Duodecim Abusivis (Corpus Cambr. 178) in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 300 Þu gaderast ma & ma, & menn cwelað hungre, & þine welan forrotiað ætforan þinum eagum.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9120 Auer þer comen ma & ma and ferden tow[w]ard Octa.

c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 3421 (MED) Vor hor ost euere wax, þer come euere mo & mo.

a1450–1509 (?a1300) Richard Coer de Lyon (A-version) (1913) 2550 (MED) Euere þer stood vp moo and moo.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 707/1 Sythe we used to scourge beggars out of towne, we have ever sythe had mo and mo.

1644 in L. B. Taylor Aberdeen Council Lett. (1950) II. 381 A great part quhairof hes alreddie removed thameselffis and daylie mae and mae ar quytting the toune.

†e. the mo: the majority, the greater part. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a great part or proportion > the greater part, the majority

the more partOE

the best part ofOE

(the) more parta1350

(the) most parta1350

(the) most part alla1350

(the) most party1372

for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387

the better part ofa1393

the mo?a1400

most forcea1400

substancea1413

corsec1420

generalty?c1430

the greater partc1430

three quartersc1470

generalityc1485

the most feck1488

corpse1533

most1553

nine-tenths?1556

better half1566

generality?1570

pluralityc1570

body1574

the great body (of)1588

flush1592

three fourths1600

best1601

heap1609

gross1625

lump1709

bulk1711

majority1714

nineteen in twenty1730

balance1747

sweighta1800

heft1816

chief1841

the force1842

thick end1847

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 58 (MED) For he had þe treuth, on his side were þe mo.

c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 522 The mo of the peple.

c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iv. 86 Some helde with the mo, how it euere wente.

a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) f. 173^v Crisostom answereth. Before the mo he hath spoken euyll of the.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xv. 26 Some men among the moe became mighty and famous in the world.

f. In proverbs and proverbial phrases. the mo the merrier: see merry adj. Phrases 2b.

ΚΠ

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl 850 Among vus commez no[u]þer strot ne stryf..Þe mo þe myryer.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiv. 273 The ma thai be, The mair honour allout haue we.

?a1500 in T. Wright & J. O. Halliwell Reliquiæ Antiquæ (1845) II. 40 (MED) Tho smallere pese, tho mo to the pott.

?1529 S. Fish Supplicacyon for Beggers sig. A7^v To make many hospitals for..poore people? Nay truely. The moo the worse.

?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) i. vii. sig. C iv ^v So haue ye the sides of your scale eche to be deuided in 12. 60. 100. 1000. poynts..the mo the more commodious.

1658 J. Durham Comm. Bk. Revelation 581 The moe she entise to be her followers, it is the greatter dittey.

1684 G. Meriton York-shire Dial. 64 Meay the merryer, but fewer better Fair.

a1917 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick (1927) 14 The mae the merrier.

†II. Something additional.

2. With partitive genitive singular: something in addition; an additional quantity or amount. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

OE Andreas (1932) 1443 No þe laðes ma þurh daroða gedrep gedon motan, þa þe heardra mæst hearma gefremedan.

OE Paris Psalter (1932) lxxiii. 8 Ne we on ænige wisan witegan habbað, þæt us andgytes ma æfre secgen.

a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) 564 Hwat dostu godes among monne? Namo þene doþ a wrecche wrenne.

3. Usually with plural agreement.

a. Other individuals of the kind specified; other persons or things in addition to those mentioned. Const. than, save, but. See also no mo pron.¹, n., adj.¹, and adv.¹ Obsolete.In the combinations feala ma, many mo, a hundred mo, etc., mo can be taken as adverbial: see A. 2. So also in the modern no mo, which is different from the Old English nā mā, where nā = ‘not’, and mā can be either in this sense or in sense B. 1a.

ΚΠ

OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 89 Sume naman..habbað twegen mislice casvs and na ma on gewunan.

OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 262 Donatvs telð gyt ma to ðisum: ni, nisi, sed.

lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1125 He..bead þær þa ilce lagas þa Anselm ærcebiscop hæfde æror beboden & feala ma.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15496 Þuss wrohhte þær..crist..hiss firsste takenn. & affterr þatt he wrohhte ma.

c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 168 Þis beoð nu nihe reisuns, & monie ma þer beoð.

a1300 Passion our Lord 686 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 56 Nerun and Dacyen and mo þet beoþ vor-lorene.

c1400 (?c1380) Pearl 870 And wyth hym maydennez an hundreþe þowsande, And fowre and forty þowsande mo.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 3023 He was not sool, for ther was moo.

1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) iv. vii. 61 This fayre grene appel tree..said..I ne bere neuer no mo but this one appel.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 27 Take..of ich kynd beestis two, Mayll & femayll, but no mo.

?1544 J. Heywood Foure PP sig. A.i^v Yet haue I bene at Rome also And gone the stacions all arow Saynt peters shryne and many mo.

1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie ii. vi. 113 The Chronicles of England mention no moe then onely sixe kings bearing the name of Edward.

1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxxviii. 241 The ancientest..of the Fathers mention those three degrees of Ecclesiasticall order specified and no moe.

1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Pp2^v And besides which Axiomes, there are diuers moe .

1641 C. Burges Another Serm. House of Commons 3 In all which places, and many moe, the Originall word is [etc.].

1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. i. 74 But first I'll Roger raise, and twa three mae, To catch her fast.

1787 R. Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook xxii, in Poems (new ed.) 62 Forbye some new, uncommon weapons..Sal-alkali o' Midge-tail clippings, And mony mae.

1844 W. Jamie Muse of Mearns 71 (E.D.D.) Several mae that I did ken.

b. With of. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3813 He wenen ðat god sal taken Of ðo .xij. tribuz summe mo.

c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 663 I hate hym that my vices telleth me And so doo mo..of vs than I.

c1480 (a1400) St. George 136 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 180 Þat we sal bryne þe & al þine, or we ma of oure barnis tyne.

a1525 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1923) I. 208 Mony ma of that nacioun..war..hangit.

1562 W. Turner Bk. Natures Bathes Eng. f. 13, in 2nd Pt. Herball Other writers give a geat deale mo of properties unto this bath.

?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. 373 Of honest men he had na mea.

1623 in L. B. Taylor Aberdeen Council Lett. (1942) I. 203 Albeit we have lyand besyd us fourscoir and some ma of these bookes undistribute.

1684 J. Stewart Let. in B. Cusack Everyday Eng. (1998) 219 [Scotl.] It meay be it be onknon to yow and many mo of owr dier friends.

1724 in Coll. Dying Testimonies (1806) 232 Would you open moe of their eyes.

1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes Berwick 14 Need I mention ony mae..O' the honest men o' the day.

4. Scottish. withouten mo (also but ma): only, alone. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1300 St. Michael (Laud) 418 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 311 Þat euerech of heom [sc. firmamenz].., One steorre hath with-oute mo.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 13489 Fiue laues and fisches tua; But quat don þai wit-vten maa?

c1450 C. d'Orleans Poems (1941) 5587 (MED) Me thynkith how ye and y then in a sort Without moo myght suffise.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) ii. 9 For he wald in his chambre be..in priuate, With him a clerk, for-owtyn ma.

a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 2682 (MED) ‘It is your loue,’ quod she, ‘withoute moo.’

1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus Prol. sig. Aiij^v On ane of thame alluterlie, but ma.

?a1610 A. Montgomerie Poems (1887) 138 O worthie wicht both wyse and womanlie! O myn but mo!

C. adj.¹ and determiner. = more adj. [In the Old English construction of mā with a partitive genitive (see A. 2) the noun, which was felt to be virtually the subject or object of the verb or the object of the preposition, did not show the nature of this relation by its inflection. Hence the genitive was occasionally replaced by the case in which the noun would have stood if it was placed in apposition to mā , or if mā had been absent. In this way mā became in effect an indeclinable adjective or determiner.

N.E.D. notes that the use of mo with a singular noun (senses A. 1 and B. 4) ‘has always been rare, and perhaps the later examples may be due to mere inadvertence’.]

I. Greater.

1. With a singular noun (usually a mass noun). As the comparative of much: more or greater in amount or quantity.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > greater in quantity, amount, or degree

moOE

moreOE

the more partOE

lessa1616

mo'1858

no mo'1858

OE Blickling Homilies 231 Ac ma wen is þæt þu onsende þinne engel, se hit mæg hrædlicor geferan.

a1300 Passion our Lord 317 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 46 (MED) Hwat abyde ye nuþe to habben mo wytnesse?

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 315 (MED) Þo ilk men so wise suld go & enforme ȝour kynges, Withouten mo justise or trauaile of oþer lordynges.

c1450 J. Capgrave Solace of Pilgrims (Bodl. 423) (1911) 30 If a man se anoþir naked he schal haue mo sekir merkis of him þann if he se him clad.

a1500 (a1416) in C. Monro Lett. Margaret of Anjou (1863) 69 For their moe surete, ye do the said B. and his servants to be bounden to us.

a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) III. 347 With small power rydand furth the way, This Striuiling,..With far ma power hes him vmbeset.

1893 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words The mae pairt on them wis gan back agyen.

2. As the comparative of many: more in number (as distinguished from more, greater in amount or quantity). With than, nor; also negatively with but. Frequently qualified by many, far, well.

a. In attributive use. Also (rarely) as postmodifier.

ΚΠ

OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 94 Ne synd na ma naman speliende, buton þas fiftyne.

a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 27 And forgiue us ure gultes þe we hauen don..and ofte..and muchele mo siðe þanne we seȝen muȝen.

a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 414 Adam and eue..hadden childre manige..Mo ðan of telleð ðe genesis.

c1390 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 418 Heer may men feste and roialtee biholde And deyntees mo than I kan yow deuyse.

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 100^v Þe female serpentis haueþ mo tieþ þan males.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 21883 (MED) Ai þe ma takens we se, Ai þe warr warnist ar we.

1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 9 Ye haue byten and nypte myn vncle..many mo tymes than I can telle.

1530 J. Rastell New Bk. Purgatory i. xiv. sig. b2 There be no mo goddys but one.

1573 R. Lever Arte of Reason Forespeache sig. ★.iiij^v There be Plura rerum, quàm verborum genera, (that is, moe things, then there are words to expresse things by).

a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 28 Bookes of moe sorts then one.

1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. viii. 19 According to the rules of proportion, who could expect otherwise, but, the moe men, the moe Martyrs?

1737 A. Ramsay Coll. Scots Prov. 2 A fair Maiden Tocherless will get mae Wooers than Husbands.

1868 J. Salmon Gowodean iii. ii Ane maun keep mony mae cracks to their sel',..than abroad they tell.

1923 G. Watson Roxburghshire Word-bk. 205 The nearer nicht, the mae beggars... The mair siller, the mae cares.

†b. In predicative use. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1330 Horn Child 194 in J. Hall King Horn (1901) 181 (MED) Þe irise ost was mani & mo.

a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) xv. 2 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 146 (MED) Tille haleghs þat in land are ma, He selkouþed alle mi willes in þa.

c1440 (?a1400) Sir Perceval (1930) 926 He was ferd lesse my sonnes sold hym slo, Whenne þay ware eldare and moo.

a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 119 (MED) Thai [sc. harms] bith mony mo than we haue shewid yet.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xi. 636 His fayis ar ma Than he.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 6 (MED) Erthly bestys..Bryng ye furth and wax ye mo.

1567 in J. Anderson Cal. Laing Charters (1899) 208 Becawse thai war fer may nor he was, he mycht nocht stope thaim.

1611 Bible (King James) Psalms lxix. 4 They that hate mee without a cause, are moe then the haires of mine head.

1624 R. Montagu Gagg for New Gospell? iii. 32 Ecclesiasticall constitutions are moe, more certaine; of the same authority with the Churches written Lawes.

1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. ii. 62 Seeing you are moe in Number.

†c. mo..than one or two (also two or three). Also: mo..than enough. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 730 He sleped in his yrnes Mo nyȝteȝ þen in-noghe in naked rokkeȝ.

a1500 Lancelot of Laik (1870) 1197 The lady said, ‘Per dee, He vsyt haith mo horss than one or two’.

1568 in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1928) II. 197 Ȝeiris and dayis mo than two or thre.

1617 Acts Parl. Scotl. (1816) IV. 545 Incace any tak..conteane moe lyverentis nor one.

†3. mo and less: of all ranks or conditions. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > people > people collectively > [noun] > all people

all the worldOE

all ledea1275

more and minc1275

most and leasta1300

much and litec1330

mo and lessc1426

the whole world1530

cut and long tail1576

universal1596

general1604

universality1606

university1677

all outdoors1833

John Q.1937

c1426 J. Audelay Poems (1931) 78 Fore þiself furst þou pray..And fore men and wemen mo and lees.

II. Additional.

†4. With a singular noun: Additional to the amount specified or implied, further. Obsolete. rare.

ΚΠ

OE Blickling Homilies 247 Ara nu þurh mægen ures Drihtenes, and ma wæter of þinum muþe þu ne send.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) v. i. 237 With..noyses Of roring,..gingling chaines, And mo diuersitie of sounds.

1650 H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 342 Never thirstinge ambissciously after more hono^r nor covetously of moe estate.

†5.

a. With a plural noun: additional to the number specified; further, other. Obsolete.Often qualified by an indefinite adjective such as many, any, etc., or by a definite numeral adjective such as one, two, etc.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [adjective] > greater number

moOE

moreOE

fele1340

better than1471

outnumbering1796

OE Andreas (1932) 492 Ic wæs on gifeðe iu ond nu þa syxtyne siðum on sæbate,..is ðys ane ma.

OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 32 Þus byð eac on ma stowum.

?a1300 Iacob & Iosep (Bodl.) (1916) 430 (MED) Habbe ȝe..mo breþren at hom?

c1330 (?a1300) Sir Tristrem (1886) l. 335 Wiþ him he left ma Pans for to play.

a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) Ruth i. 11 Y haue no mo sonys in my wombe.

c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) ii. xi. 215 Thouȝ ther wer x. thousind mo bokis writun in Londoun..of the same Seintis lijf.

1480 Table Prouffytable Lernynge (Caxton) (1964) 28 Make the ynche to seethe And put therin mo galles And more substance.

1564 W. Bullein Dialogue against Fever Pestilence f. 4^v [A beggar from Redesdale (Northumberland) says:] Besides vs pakers, many me men haue gud lucke.

?1614 W. Drummond Sonnet: Lampe of Heauens in Poems Day shall but serue moe Sorrowes to display.

1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iii. ii. 5 You shall sustaine moe new disgraces, With these you beare alreadie.

1721 A. Ramsay Prospect of Plenty 206 For rowth shall cherish love, and love shall bring Mae men t'improve the soil.

1813 E. Picken Misc. Poems I. 151 Gie's nae mae sic wither-shins.

b. Postmodifying a plural noun; also with a singular noun preceded by many a, no, or every. times mo: at other times. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

OE St. Margaret (Tiber.) (1994) 128 Ic nelle nan word ma of þinum muþe gehyran.

c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8157 He haffde suness ma Acc himm he ȝaff þatt crune.

c1395 G. Chaucer Clerk's Tale 449 Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo [etc.].

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 3210 Sex scor and seuen yeir liued sarra And deid wit-outen childer ma.

?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 26 (MED) After nyen & tuenty ȝere þe dede him hiþen nam, & sex monethes mo.

a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 1964 After hym ther came ij kynggez moo.

c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) xlii (MED) I..sawe hir walk..With no wight mo bot onely women tueyne.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 1162 Telamon..and Joly knightes moo..Wonen vp..vppon wale horses.

?1550 Adam Bel sig. Lii Syr they be slayne..and many an officer mo.

1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. June 57 I sawe Calliope wyth Muses moe..Theyr yvory Luyts..forgoe.

1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 20 I sawe the Cunnin and the Cat,..with vther beistis mo.

1606 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1885) 1st Ser. VII. 167 And for every through ma besyde the first through, xx s.

1748 J. Thomson Castle of Indolence i. lvi These I passen by, with nameless numbers moe.

c. With a plural noun modified by other or with other as pronoun. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 571 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 123 (MED) Seint Thomas grauntede bluþeliche þeos [sc. laws] and oþure mo.

c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 2079 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 166 Ofte ich habbe þe guod i-do and manie othure mo.

a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. 637 Tuo Cardinals he hath assissed With othre lordes many mo.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 14449 Lazar þat ded was..he raisid, and oþer maa.

c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 79 And þis inconuenient mai not be voydid w^t mani moo oþer.

1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) i. viii. sig. a.vi Som of hem lough hym to scorne..and mo other called hym a wytche.

a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. iv. 6 The cruell Celeno, With all the vtheris Harpyis mony mo.

1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus i. f. 2^v And infinite other mo lettes.

1622 G. Wither Christmas Carol 87 Some others play at Rowlandhoe And twenty other Gameboys moe.

1652 C. B. Stapylton tr. Herodian Imperiall Hist. xvii. 144 These Countries got he left unto his heires, With other moe.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	mo
释义	Mon.² Brit. /ɛmˈəʊ/, U.S. /ˌɛmˈoʊ/ Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: molybdenum n. Etymology: Symbolic abbreviation for molybdenum n. Chemistry. The element molybdenum. ΚΠ 1814 tr. J. J. Berzelius in Ann. Philos. 3 100 Molybdenum (Mo). 1865 J. P. Cooke Relig. & Chem. (ed. 2) 290 Table of elementary substances..Molybdenum... Mo. 1901 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 80 163 Molybdenum blue does not appear to contain the dioxide, MoO₂,..but the semipentoxide, Mo₂O₅. 1998 Daily News (New Plymouth) (Nexis) 18 Oct. 21 If your herbage Mo levels exceed 1–2 ppm..the negative effect of Mo on Cu absorption in the cow may cause induced copper deficiency. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). mon.³ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/ Inflections: Plural mo's, moes, mos. Forms: 1800s– mo, 1900s– mo. (with point.). Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: month n.¹ Etymology: Shortened < month n.¹ (originally as a graphic abbreviation). = month n.¹ ΘΚΠ the world > time > period > a month or calendar month > [noun] montheOE moonshine1608 menology1807 calendar month1827 mo1836 thirty days1928 1836 C. Dickens Let. ?24 Aug. (1965) I. 169 25£ per mo: after Nov. 8th. 1885 W. Whitman Daybks. & Notebks. (1978) II. 375 Half-annual ‘Statement’ from D Mackay $20.71^cts for 6 mo's preceding Dec 1, '85 (royalty both vols). 1928 J. B. Wharton Squad 7 A fellow makin' an honest $30 a mo's gotta fork out near half of it to support a goddam whore! 1952 G. Mandel Flee Angry Strangers 87 ‘How long a trip?’.. ‘Six moes’. 1976 Lancet 11 Dec. 1268/1 A 52-year-old woman presented with a 2 mo history of progressive ascites and weakness. 1990 Farmweek 14 Mar. 34/6 (advt.) 15 polled Hereford heifers, avg. age 20 mo., open CV, lepto vibro, cattle master IV. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). mon.⁴ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/, Australian English /moʊ/, New Zealand English /mʌu/ Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: moustache n. Etymology: Shortened < moustache n. slang (Australian and New Zealand) . A moustache. ΘΚΠ the world > life > the body > hair > hair on lower part of face > [noun] > moustache mustachio1551 mustachio beard1566 moustache1585 mustachiosa1593 bigote1622 dibble1631 umbrage1657 whisker1706 lip-wing1825 facial hair1830 mousetail1853 lip-hair1873 lip-thatch1892 hackles1894 mo1894 tash1894 zit1912 mouser1922 stash1940 taz1951 stache1963 mush1967 1894 Bulletin (Sydney) 4 Aug. 2/2 He used to sport a ragged ‘mo’, my face was then quite bare. 1914 E. Dyson Spats' Fact'ry 94 She could never live with a ginger mo, she said. 1947 ‘A. P. Gaskell’ Big Game 17 Never mind Henry,..we'll soon shave Hitler's mo off. 1981 P. Carey Bliss iv. 167 Anyone with a mo like yours is called Mo, always have been and always will be. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). mon.⁵ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/ Forms: 1800s– mo', 1800s– mo. Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: moment n. Etymology: Shortened < moment n. British colloquial. A moment; a very short time. Frequently in phrases, as half a mo, wait a mo, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [noun] > moment or instant hand-whileOE prinkOE start-while?c1225 twinkling1303 rese?c1335 prick1340 momenta1382 pointa1382 minutea1393 instant1398 braida1400 siquarea1400 twink14.. whip?c1450 movement1490 punct1513 pissing whilea1556 trice1579 turning of a hand1579 wink1585 twinklec1592 semiquaver1602 punto1616 punctilio of time1620 punctum1620 breathing1625 instance1631 tantillation1651 rapc1700 crack1725 turning of a straw1755 pig's whisper1780 jiffy1785 less than no time1788 jiff1797 blinka1813 gliffy1820 handclap1822 glimpsea1824 eyewink1836 thought1836 eye-blink1838 semibreve1845 pop1847 two shakes of a lamb's taila1855 pig's whistle1859 time point1867 New York minute1870 tick1879 mo?1896 second1897 styme1897 split-second1912 split minute1931 no-time1942 sec.1956 ?1896 A. E. Ellis Half a Mo'! (song) In half a mo'—half a mo'—Your pluck and perseverance you can show. 1903 G. B. Shaw Man & Superman ii. 70 Here! Mister! arf a mo! steady on! 1929 N. C. James Sleeveless Errand 176 Well, wait a mo, while I get my tata on. 1938 W. H. Auden & C. Isherwood On Frontier iii. i. 98 Wait a mo. Gimme a torch. 1940 ‘N. Shute’ Landfall v. 112 Half a mo', sir. I'll just give her a call. 1972 J. Wilson Hide & Seek vi. 110 Hang on... Hang on a mo. Look, you can't pin nothing on me. 1995 Smash Hits 29 Mar. 7/1 Boyzone may be the crown princes of pop at the mo', but that doesn't mean everything in their lives runs smoothly. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). mon.⁶ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/ Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: homo n.² Etymology: Shortened < homo n.² U.S. slang. Among young people: a homosexual boy or man; an effeminate boy or man. ΘΚΠ the world > people > person > man > [noun] > effeminate man badlingeOE milksopc1390 cockneyc1405 malkina1425 molla1425 weakling1526 tenderling1541 softling1543 niceling1549 woman-man1567 cocknel1570 effeminate1583 androgyne1587 meacock1590 mammaday1593 hermaphrodite1594 midwife1596 nimfadoro1600 night-sneaker1611 mock-mana1625 nan1670 she-man1675 petit maître1711 old woman1717 master-miss1754 Miss Molly1754 molly1785 squaw1805 mollycoddle1823 Miss Nancy1824 mollycot1826 molly mop1829 poof1833 Margery?c1855 ladyboy1857 girl1862 Mary Ann1868 sissy1879 milk1881 pretty-boy1881 nancy1888 poofter1889 Nancy Dawson1890 softie1895 puff1902 pussy1904 Lizzie1905 nance1910 quean1910 maricon1921 pie-face1922 bitch1923 Jessie1923 lily1923 tapette1923 pansy1926 nancy boy1927 nelly1931 femme1932 ponce1932 queerie1933 palone1934 queenie1935 girlie-man1940 swish1941 puss1942 wonk1945 mother1947 candy-ass1953 twink1953 cream puff1958 pronk1959 swishy1959 limp wrist1960 pansy-ass1963 weeny1963 poofteroo1966 mo1968 shim1973 twinkie1977 woofter1977 cake boy1992 hermaphrodite- the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual orientation > homosexuality > [noun] > a homosexual person > male badlingeOE nan1670 molly1708 Miss Molly1754 Miss Nancy1824 molly mop1829 poof1833 Margery?c1855 Mary Ann1868 pretty-boy1881 cocksucker1885 poofter1889 queer1894 fruit1895 fairy1896 homosexualist1898 puff1902 pussy1904 nance1910 quean1910 girl1912 faggot1913 mouser1914 queen1919 fag1921 gay boy1921 maricon1921 pie-face1922 bitch1923 Jessie1923 tapette1923 pansy1926 nancy boy1927 nelly1931 femme1932 ponce1932 punk1933 queerie1933 gobbler1934 jocker1935 queenie1935 iron1936 freak1941 swish1941 flit1942 tonk1943 wonk1945 mother1947 fruitcake1952 Mary1953 twink1953 swishy1959 limp wrist1960 arse bandit1961 leather man1961 booty bandit1962 ginger beer1964 bummer1965 poofteroo1966 shirtlifter1966 battyman1967 dick-sucker1968 mo1968 a friend of Dorothy1972 shim1973 gaylord1976 twinkie1977 woofter1977 bender1986 knob jockey1989 batty boy1992 cake boy1992 the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual orientation > homosexuality > [noun] > a homosexual person > male > boy or youth bardash1550 catamite?1552 Ganymede1558 ingle1592 ningle1602 Ganymedean1603 pathic1605 prostitute1654 love-boy1655 punk1698 chicken1914 tart1935 bumboy1937 mo1968 1968 C. F. Baker et al. College Undergraduate Slang Study (typescript, Brown Univ.) Mo, an effeminate male. A homosexual. 1986 UNC-CH Slang (typescript) (Univ. North Carolina, Chapel Hill: English 36 class) Fall 4 Mo, a homosexual or someone who acts like one. 2001 N.Y. Mag. 7 May 60/1 When I was in the sixth grade, if one boy accidentally brushed against another boy, someone would suddenly shriek, ‘You mo!’ This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022). mon.⁷ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/ Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: momentum n. Etymology: Shortened < momentum n. Compare slightly earlier big mo : see big adj. U.S., chiefly Politics. A continuing favourable state of affairs, esp. in a political campaign, derived from prevailing public opinion, favourable press coverage, etc. big mo: see big adj. ΚΠ 1980 Maclean's 27 Oct. 37/2 The central figure in this quickening American presidential campaign is a character called Mo. Everyone wants Mo on his side, but Mo's loyalties are fickle. 1992 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 11 Mar. Clinton..plunged into a sea of handshakes, as the music began blaring from the bandstand... The bigger the Mo, the better the band. 1999 Wired Jan. 175/2 SEEK dips from yesterday's high, buyers will come back in and market mo' is strong poz. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). mo'adj.²pron.²adv.² Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/ Forms: 1800s– mo', 1800s– mo. Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: more adj. Etymology: Shortened < more adj. U.S. regional (chiefly in representations of African-American usage). A. adj.² = more adj. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > greater in quantity, amount, or degree moOE moreOE the more partOE lessa1616 mo'1858 no mo'1858 1858 Southern Literary Messenger 26 388/1 All I cood doo I coodin taik no mo ingziety in it then the mud turkils afosed. 1879 A. W. Tourgée Fool's Errand xxvii. 141 Ef dere's any mo' Kluckers raidin' roun' Burke's Corners, dar'll be some funerals tu. 1880 J. C. Harris Uncle Remus: Songs & Sayings xiii. 66 Den Brer Rabbit went out en git some mo' wood. 1935 Z. N. Hurston Mules & Men i. v. 109 Ah thought you had mo' sense than dat, Ah claire Ah did. 1953 S. A. Brown in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 41/2 Dere ain't no mo scufflin'. 1973 Black World Sept. 35 Me an' my baby's Got two mo' ways, Two mo' ways to do de Charleston! 1995 Represent Apr. 11/1 I try and keep away from it, but if that's what you wanna do mo' power to you. B. pron.² = more pron. ΚΠ 1875 A. M. Christensen Negro Folk-lore in Independent (N.Y.) 2 Sept. 25/4 Him ben one ole African Nigger, Missus. White men bring um, wid plenty mo', in a ship. 1883 Cent. Mag. Aug. 611/2 I lay you'll see mo'n you 'speck ter see. 1944 C. Himes in Negro Story Dec. 9/2 Pour me some mo' of that licker. 1997 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch (Nexis) 24 Sept. b1 Slaughter's ad in Varmint Hunter, an international hunting magazine, also described the [jaguar] skin and stated, ‘Endangered species—there ain't no mo' coming out.’ C. adv.² = more adv. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adverb] > in or to a greater quantity, amount, or degree moeOE moreOE mo'1879 1879 J. C. Harris in Atlanta Constit. 20 July 2/4 He hadn't mo'n got de wuds out'n his mouf 'twell Mr. Rabbit come a lopin' up de big road. 1902 J. D. Corrothers Black Cat Club i. 23 Read dat piece o' yo's once mo' an' let me die a-listenin' to it! 1902 J. D. Corrothers Black Cat Club ii. 40 Black cats is dead bad luck. Dey's hoodooed me mo' den once. 1915 C. Johnson Highways & Byways New Eng. xi. 214 People wouldn't die so young if they lived mo' plainer and didn't eat such rich food. 1962 N. E. Whitten in A. Dundes Mother Wit (1973) 402/1 White folks don' put much stock in roots and the like no mo'. 1990 S. Lee (title of film) Mo' better blues. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022). moadv.¹pron.¹n.¹adj.¹ Brit. /məʊ/, U.S. /moʊ/, Scottish English /mo/ Forms: α. Old English mæ (Anglian), Old English mæe (Anglian), Old English–Middle English ma, Old English (Anglian)–Middle English mae, Middle English may, Middle English maye, Middle English–1500s maa, 1500s me; English regional 1600s meay (northern), 1700s– meea (Yorkshire), 1800s– mae (northern), 1800s– may (northern); Scottish pre-1700 maa, pre-1700 may, pre-1700 maye, pre-1700 me, pre-1700 mea, pre-1700 mei, pre-1700 1700s– ma, pre-1700 1700s– mae. β. late Old English–1800s (1900s– English regional (Lancashire)) mo, early Middle English moa, Middle English–1500s (1800s– English regional (Staffordshire)) moo, late Middle English–1800s moe, 1500s mooe; Scottish pre-1700 1700s mo, pre-1700 1700s–1800s moe. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian mā , mē , Middle Dutch mee , Middle Low German mē , Middle High German mē (early modern German meh ), Old Icelandic meir , Old Swedish mer (Swedish mer ), Danish mer , Gothic mais (the West Germanic forms show loss of final -z ) < a suffixed (comparative) form of the Indo-European base of mere adj.¹; compare (with a different ablaut grade) Oscan mais, Early Irish, Irish mó, Albanian më.For adverbial forms in -r in English and other West Germanic languages influenced by or developed from adjectival forms, see more adv.; some of the forms without -r in continental West Germanic languages may in turn show shortening of these forms, rather than inherited forms. With the Old English (Anglian) form mǣ compare mǣst* (see most adv.). By the end of the 17th cent. the β form mo was replaced (except in certain regional dialects) by more in all uses that were still current. Although the distinction was better preserved in many of those regional dialects which had the α form, it was not universally maintained: for example, G. H. Cowling, Dial. Hackness (1915) 117, reports that /mɛːə/, the α form of this word in that dialect, and /mɛːə(r)/, the northern form of more, ‘are now confused, owing to the loss of r before consonants’. Now Scottish and English regional (northern). A. adv.¹ I. In a greater degree, etc. †1. In or to a greater degree, extent, or quantity. Also: more energetically, conscientiously, or diligently. Obsolete. mo and mo: increasingly. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adverb] > in or to a greater quantity, amount, or degree moeOE moreOE mo'1879 the world > relative properties > quantity > increase in quantity, amount, or degree > increasing in quantity, amount, or degree [phrase] > increasingly mo and moeOE more and morec1175 the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > in or to a greater degree or extent moeOE moreOE furtherc1050 greaterc1230 furthermorea1300 heldera1400 largerlya1425 any more1533 farthera1535 furtherfortha1542 preferentially1864 worse1883 much more1912 eOE (Mercian) Vespasian Psalter (1965) li. 3 (5) Dilexisti malitiam super benignitatem, iniquitatem magis quam loqui aequitatem : ðu lufedes hete ofer freamsumnisse, unrehtwisnisse mae ðon spreocan rehtwisnisse. eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) iv. xxx. 370 Ðæt he mid his halwendum trymenessum to ðæm upplican lustum ma & ma onbærned wære. OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) cxxxv. 174 Þonne is þæt oðer cyn [of abrotanum] greaton bogum & swyþe smælon leafon swylce heo ma fexede gesewen sy. lOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (Bodl.) xxxii. 73 Hit þær ne weaxð þe ma ðe gimmas weaxað on wingeardum. a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 9 Na ma ne mei me her god don for þere saule þe on þis liue god bi-ȝinnen nalde. c1330 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 35 (MED) Is nan so þra of hem þre Þat ma merres þan me; Bisier mai nan be. ?c1335 (a1300) Land of Cokaygne 101 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 147 Þer beþ briddes mani and fale..Ȝite I do ȝow mo to witte: Þe Gees irostid on þe spitte Fleez to þat abbai, [etc.]. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 5532 (MED) Þis folk multiplid ai maa [a1400 Trin. Cambr. multeplied moo & moo]. ?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 171 (MED) Lauandre..is mo lengger lewys þanne ysope. ?1503–5 H. Watson tr. Valentine & Orson 178/2 And for to greue him the mo he hathe renounced Mahounde. c1580 ( tr. Bk. Alexander (1921) II. ii. 1579 The folk of Grece fast on vs gonis, And lakkis vs maa, I trow, na lowis. II. Additionally. 2. Longer, further, again, besides. Chiefly qualified by any, no, none; ever, never. Cf. evermoe adv., nathemo adv., nevermo adv. ΘΚΠ the world > time > frequency > [adverb] > anew or again moeOE of newOE yetOE againOE newlyOE once morelOE anewc1305 newa1325 i-gainc1325 againwardc1380 upon new1399 freshlya1413 newlings1440 of the newc1449 afreshc1450 of (also on) fresh1490 for the newc1535 backwardly1552 over againa1568 over1598 de novo1627 all over1811 the world > time > duration > [adverb] > for a long time > for a longer time moeOE lengc1000 lengerc1200 overmorea1450 farther1548 no mo'1855 eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) lii. 405 Gif hwelc wif forlæt hiere ceorl, & nimð hire oðerne, wenestu recce he hire æfre ma, oððe mæg hio æfre eft cuman to him swa clænu swa hio ær wæs? OE Blickling Homilies 247 Þæt wæter oflan, and ma of heora muþe hit ne eode. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 4206 Þatt næfre ma ne shall he ben. O nane wise filedd. c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7381 (MED) To þe hauene of sein walri þe duc wende þo..& abide mo. c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 691 It is an impossible That any clerk wol speke good of wyues, But if it be of holy seintes lyues, Nof noon oother womman neuer the mo. c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 864 Now kan no man se none elues mo. c1440 (?a1400) Sir Perceval (1930) 867 (MED) Siche dedis to do moo Was þe childe fayne. a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 2722 Nor let no mo suche thoughtez yow assayle. 1584 G. Peele Araygnem. Paris v. i. sig. Eij^v Without mislike or quarrell any moe, Pallas shall rest content. 1591 R. Greene Maidens Dreame xv No foreign wit could Hatton's overgo: Yet to a friend wise, simple, and no mo. 1679 in J. Fletcher et al. Queene of Corinth (new ed.) (song) iii. ii in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher 50 Comedies & Trag. sig. B3/2 Grief is but a wound to woe Gent'lest fair, mourne, mourne no moe. 1798 D. Crawford Poems 2 Thae scraps, an' a wheen mae. 1812 Ld. Byron Childe Harold: Cantos I & II i. xciii. 58 Ye..Shall find some tidings in a future page, If he that rhymeth now may scribble moe. 1920 A. Gray Songs & Ballads 26 I ettled sair to rise up And meet my love ance mae. B. pron.¹ and n.¹ [These uses originated from the adverb, but those that survived into modern English were probably regarded as elliptical uses of the adjective (determiner) on the same pattern as that of words such as much, many, and more.] I. Something greater. 1. A greater number; more individuals of the kind specified or implied. Const. than.In Old English, when mā is the subject the verb is singular. Subsequently, mo in this sense has been treated as an adjective with ellipsis of a plural noun, and therefore takes a plural verb. †a. In early use, with partitive genitive plural; later, with of. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [noun] > greater number, majority moeOE unfewc1175 most?a1400 most forcea1400 substancea1413 overmatch1542 flush1592 the (great, vast) mass of1604 the millions1604 stream1614 numbers1638 the multiplicity of1639 majority1650 eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) ii. ii. 102 Gif he þonne eow eac forhogie & eow ne wille arisan togegnes, mid þy eower ma is, sy he þonne from eow forhogad. OE Blickling Homilies 61 Weana ma þonne æniges mannes gemet sy þæt hie ariman mæge. OE Blickling Homilies 35 Ne bið þara fæstendaga na ma þonne syx & þritig. lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1106 Se steorra ætywde innon þæt suð west... Gehwylce sædon þæt hig ma on þison timon uncuðra steorra gesawon. a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 27 (MED) Ma monna ic scolde biȝeten swa. c1387–95 G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. 576 Of maistres hadde he mo than thries ten. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) ii. l. 192 Off ws thai haiff wndoyne may than ynew. 1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke vii. vi. 144 b Of these valiant beggers there be in euery place mo then a great meny. c1550 Complaynt Scotl. (1979) iv. 23 Ther is maye of the sect of sardanapalus amang vs, nor ther is of scipions. 1630 R. Norton tr. W. Camden Hist. Princesse Elizabeth i. 19 The Papists murmured, that moe of the Protestants were chosen of set purpose. †b. Without partitive genitive or its equivalent. Often: = more persons. †mo twice: twice as many. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE Laws of Edgar (Nero E.i) iv. v. 210 To ælcere byrig XXXVI syn gecorone to gewitnesse; to smalum burgum & to ælcum hundrode XII, buton ge ma willan. OE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Cambr. Univ. Libr.) i. xi. 48 Heora monige heora feondum on hand eodan; & gyt ma wæs þe þæt don ne wolde. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 141 Muchele mo fareð on þisse sæ..fuliende þe leome of penitence..þane don þe leome of maiðhod. c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 25 Her sitteð þe auez, fifti oðer hundret, oðer ma oðer leas. c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 39 Ma [a1250 Nero Mo] sleað word þen sweord. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) 12036 Heo..iseȝen scipen, an & an, while ma [c1300 Otho mo], while nan. c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) 808 Her buþ paens ariued Wel mo þane fiue. 1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) xi. l. 113 And I haiff seyn may twys in-to Scotland With ȝon Ilk king. 1563 N. Winȝet Certain Tractates (1888) I. 129 In mony places thryse in ye oulk, and in fer may nocht anis in the moneth. 1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie i. x. 70 Vnto life many implements are necessarie; moe, if we seek..such a life as [etc.]. 1655 Cramond Kirk Session 6 Feb. Considering..that the sessioun were not able to sustane any moe nor they sustaine presentlie. †c. and mo (also or mo): and (also, or) a larger number than that specified. (Frequently used to express an indefinite excess over a number stated approximately.) Similarly one or mo. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE Cynewulf Elene 634 Hu mæg ic þæt findan þæt swa fyrn gewearð wintra gangum? Is nu worn sceacen, CC oððe ma geteled rime. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 135 (MED) His michelnesse was unhiled on ten fold wise and mo. c1300 St. Michael (Laud) 490 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 313 For þe man þat miȝte go euereche daye fourty mile, and ȝeot sumdel mo. c1330 (?a1300) Sir Tristrem (1886) l. 613 (MED) He..redily ȝaf him..Ten schilinges and ma. 1473 in J. Stuart & G. Burnett Exchequer Rolls Scotl. (1885) VIII. 153 To mak and depute subtennandis undir him in the said landis ane or maa as he thinkis maste expedient. a1475 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) 3872 Men sholen him axe if þis world here Shal dure seuene þousand ȝere. And..he shal..seie, ‘ȝe and mo wiþ–al.’ 1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. ciiii^v His scheild he chopit hym fra In tuenty pecis and ma. 1599 Act Sed. 3 Nov. (1790) 30 That the secretarie..mak and constitut particular deputts, ane or mae. 1617–18 W. Lawson New Orchard & Garden (1623) Pref. sig. A iij^v A..way of planting, which I haue found good by 48. yeeres (and moe) experience. 1668 in M. Wood Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1950) X. 45 Any two or moe..of the town officers. 1688 Irvine Deeds (MS) in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue (1973) IV. 2/1 Acts..ane or mae..to raise. 1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shepherdess iii. 105 'Twill tak this seven year I fear an' mae. †d. mo and mo: used to express a progressive increase in numbers. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > increase in quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > progressive increase mo and moOE crescendo1785 spiral1931 escalation1938 spiralling1944 snowballing1966 OE Ælfric Homily: De Duodecim Abusivis (Corpus Cambr. 178) in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 300 Þu gaderast ma & ma, & menn cwelað hungre, & þine welan forrotiað ætforan þinum eagum. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 9120 Auer þer comen ma & ma and ferden tow[w]ard Octa. c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 3421 (MED) Vor hor ost euere wax, þer come euere mo & mo. a1450–1509 (?a1300) Richard Coer de Lyon (A-version) (1913) 2550 (MED) Euere þer stood vp moo and moo. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 707/1 Sythe we used to scourge beggars out of towne, we have ever sythe had mo and mo. 1644 in L. B. Taylor Aberdeen Council Lett. (1950) II. 381 A great part quhairof hes alreddie removed thameselffis and daylie mae and mae ar quytting the toune. †e. the mo: the majority, the greater part. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [noun] > a great part or proportion > the greater part, the majority the more partOE the best part ofOE (the) more parta1350 (the) most parta1350 (the) most part alla1350 (the) most party1372 for (also be, in) the most part (also deal, party)a1387 the better part ofa1393 the mo?a1400 most forcea1400 substancea1413 corsec1420 generalty?c1430 the greater partc1430 three quartersc1470 generalityc1485 the most feck1488 corpse1533 most1553 nine-tenths?1556 better half1566 generality?1570 pluralityc1570 body1574 the great body (of)1588 flush1592 three fourths1600 best1601 heap1609 gross1625 lump1709 bulk1711 majority1714 nineteen in twenty1730 balance1747 sweighta1800 heft1816 chief1841 the force1842 thick end1847 ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 58 (MED) For he had þe treuth, on his side were þe mo. c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 522 The mo of the peple. c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) iv. 86 Some helde with the mo, how it euere wente. a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) f. 173^v Crisostom answereth. Before the mo he hath spoken euyll of the. 1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie i. xv. 26 Some men among the moe became mighty and famous in the world. f. In proverbs and proverbial phrases. the mo the merrier: see merry adj. Phrases 2b. ΚΠ c1400 (?c1380) Pearl 850 Among vus commez no[u]þer strot ne stryf..Þe mo þe myryer. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xiv. 273 The ma thai be, The mair honour allout haue we. ?a1500 in T. Wright & J. O. Halliwell Reliquiæ Antiquæ (1845) II. 40 (MED) Tho smallere pese, tho mo to the pott. ?1529 S. Fish Supplicacyon for Beggers sig. A7^v To make many hospitals for..poore people? Nay truely. The moo the worse. ?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) i. vii. sig. C iv ^v So haue ye the sides of your scale eche to be deuided in 12. 60. 100. 1000. poynts..the mo the more commodious. 1658 J. Durham Comm. Bk. Revelation 581 The moe she entise to be her followers, it is the greatter dittey. 1684 G. Meriton York-shire Dial. 64 Meay the merryer, but fewer better Fair. a1917 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick (1927) 14 The mae the merrier. †II. Something additional. 2. With partitive genitive singular: something in addition; an additional quantity or amount. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE Andreas (1932) 1443 No þe laðes ma þurh daroða gedrep gedon motan, þa þe heardra mæst hearma gefremedan. OE Paris Psalter (1932) lxxiii. 8 Ne we on ænige wisan witegan habbað, þæt us andgytes ma æfre secgen. a1300 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Jesus Oxf.) (1935) 564 Hwat dostu godes among monne? Namo þene doþ a wrecche wrenne. 3. Usually with plural agreement. a. Other individuals of the kind specified; other persons or things in addition to those mentioned. Const. than, save, but. See also no mo pron.¹, n., adj.¹, and adv.¹ Obsolete.In the combinations feala ma, many mo, a hundred mo, etc., mo can be taken as adverbial: see A. 2. So also in the modern no mo, which is different from the Old English nā mā, where nā = ‘not’, and mā can be either in this sense or in sense B. 1a. ΚΠ OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 89 Sume naman..habbað twegen mislice casvs and na ma on gewunan. OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 262 Donatvs telð gyt ma to ðisum: ni, nisi, sed. lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1125 He..bead þær þa ilce lagas þa Anselm ærcebiscop hæfde æror beboden & feala ma. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 15496 Þuss wrohhte þær..crist..hiss firsste takenn. & affterr þatt he wrohhte ma. c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 168 Þis beoð nu nihe reisuns, & monie ma þer beoð. a1300 Passion our Lord 686 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 56 Nerun and Dacyen and mo þet beoþ vor-lorene. c1400 (?c1380) Pearl 870 And wyth hym maydennez an hundreþe þowsande, And fowre and forty þowsande mo. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 3023 He was not sool, for ther was moo. 1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) iv. vii. 61 This fayre grene appel tree..said..I ne bere neuer no mo but this one appel. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 27 Take..of ich kynd beestis two, Mayll & femayll, but no mo. ?1544 J. Heywood Foure PP sig. A.i^v Yet haue I bene at Rome also And gone the stacions all arow Saynt peters shryne and many mo. 1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie ii. vi. 113 The Chronicles of England mention no moe then onely sixe kings bearing the name of Edward. 1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. lxxviii. 241 The ancientest..of the Fathers mention those three degrees of Ecclesiasticall order specified and no moe. 1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning ii. sig. Pp2^v And besides which Axiomes, there are diuers moe . View more context for this quotation 1641 C. Burges Another Serm. House of Commons 3 In all which places, and many moe, the Originall word is [etc.]. 1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. i. 74 But first I'll Roger raise, and twa three mae, To catch her fast. 1787 R. Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook xxii, in Poems (new ed.) 62 Forbye some new, uncommon weapons..Sal-alkali o' Midge-tail clippings, And mony mae. 1844 W. Jamie Muse of Mearns 71 (E.D.D.) Several mae that I did ken. b. With of. Obsolete. ΚΠ a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3813 He wenen ðat god sal taken Of ðo .xij. tribuz summe mo. c1395 G. Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 663 I hate hym that my vices telleth me And so doo mo..of vs than I. c1480 (a1400) St. George 136 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 180 Þat we sal bryne þe & al þine, or we ma of oure barnis tyne. a1525 in W. A. Craigie Asloan MS (1923) I. 208 Mony ma of that nacioun..war..hangit. 1562 W. Turner Bk. Natures Bathes Eng. f. 13, in 2nd Pt. Herball Other writers give a geat deale mo of properties unto this bath. ?a1600 ( R. Sempill Legend Bischop St. Androis in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xlv. 373 Of honest men he had na mea. 1623 in L. B. Taylor Aberdeen Council Lett. (1942) I. 203 Albeit we have lyand besyd us fourscoir and some ma of these bookes undistribute. 1684 J. Stewart Let. in B. Cusack Everyday Eng. (1998) 219 [Scotl.] It meay be it be onknon to yow and many mo of owr dier friends. 1724 in Coll. Dying Testimonies (1806) 232 Would you open moe of their eyes. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes Berwick 14 Need I mention ony mae..O' the honest men o' the day. 4. Scottish. withouten mo (also but ma): only, alone. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1300 St. Michael (Laud) 418 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 311 Þat euerech of heom [sc. firmamenz].., One steorre hath with-oute mo. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 13489 Fiue laues and fisches tua; But quat don þai wit-vten maa? c1450 C. d'Orleans Poems (1941) 5587 (MED) Me thynkith how ye and y then in a sort Without moo myght suffise. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) ii. 9 For he wald in his chambre be..in priuate, With him a clerk, for-owtyn ma. a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 2682 (MED) ‘It is your loue,’ quod she, ‘withoute moo.’ 1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus Prol. sig. Aiij^v On ane of thame alluterlie, but ma. ?a1610 A. Montgomerie Poems (1887) 138 O worthie wicht both wyse and womanlie! O myn but mo! C. adj.¹ and determiner. = more adj. [In the Old English construction of mā with a partitive genitive (see A. 2) the noun, which was felt to be virtually the subject or object of the verb or the object of the preposition, did not show the nature of this relation by its inflection. Hence the genitive was occasionally replaced by the case in which the noun would have stood if it was placed in apposition to mā , or if mā had been absent. In this way mā became in effect an indeclinable adjective or determiner. N.E.D. notes that the use of mo with a singular noun (senses A. 1 and B. 4) ‘has always been rare, and perhaps the later examples may be due to mere inadvertence’.] I. Greater. 1. With a singular noun (usually a mass noun). As the comparative of much: more or greater in amount or quantity. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > greater in quantity, amount, or degree moOE moreOE the more partOE lessa1616 mo'1858 no mo'1858 OE Blickling Homilies 231 Ac ma wen is þæt þu onsende þinne engel, se hit mæg hrædlicor geferan. a1300 Passion our Lord 317 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 46 (MED) Hwat abyde ye nuþe to habben mo wytnesse? ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 315 (MED) Þo ilk men so wise suld go & enforme ȝour kynges, Withouten mo justise or trauaile of oþer lordynges. c1450 J. Capgrave Solace of Pilgrims (Bodl. 423) (1911) 30 If a man se anoþir naked he schal haue mo sekir merkis of him þann if he se him clad. a1500 (a1416) in C. Monro Lett. Margaret of Anjou (1863) 69 For their moe surete, ye do the said B. and his servants to be bounden to us. a1600 ( W. Stewart tr. H. Boece Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) III. 347 With small power rydand furth the way, This Striuiling,..With far ma power hes him vmbeset. 1893 R. O. Heslop Northumberland Words The mae pairt on them wis gan back agyen. 2. As the comparative of many: more in number (as distinguished from more, greater in amount or quantity). With than, nor; also negatively with but. Frequently qualified by many, far, well. a. In attributive use. Also (rarely) as postmodifier. ΚΠ OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 94 Ne synd na ma naman speliende, buton þas fiftyne. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 27 And forgiue us ure gultes þe we hauen don..and ofte..and muchele mo siðe þanne we seȝen muȝen. a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 414 Adam and eue..hadden childre manige..Mo ðan of telleð ðe genesis. c1390 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 418 Heer may men feste and roialtee biholde And deyntees mo than I kan yow deuyse. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 100^v Þe female serpentis haueþ mo tieþ þan males. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 21883 (MED) Ai þe ma takens we se, Ai þe warr warnist ar we. 1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 9 Ye haue byten and nypte myn vncle..many mo tymes than I can telle. 1530 J. Rastell New Bk. Purgatory i. xiv. sig. b2 There be no mo goddys but one. 1573 R. Lever Arte of Reason Forespeache sig. ★.iiij^v There be Plura rerum, quàm verborum genera, (that is, moe things, then there are words to expresse things by). a1641 R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 28 Bookes of moe sorts then one. 1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. viii. 19 According to the rules of proportion, who could expect otherwise, but, the moe men, the moe Martyrs? 1737 A. Ramsay Coll. Scots Prov. 2 A fair Maiden Tocherless will get mae Wooers than Husbands. 1868 J. Salmon Gowodean iii. ii Ane maun keep mony mae cracks to their sel',..than abroad they tell. 1923 G. Watson Roxburghshire Word-bk. 205 The nearer nicht, the mae beggars... The mair siller, the mae cares. †b. In predicative use. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1330 Horn Child 194 in J. Hall King Horn (1901) 181 (MED) Þe irise ost was mani & mo. a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) xv. 2 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 146 (MED) Tille haleghs þat in land are ma, He selkouþed alle mi willes in þa. c1440 (?a1400) Sir Perceval (1930) 926 He was ferd lesse my sonnes sold hym slo, Whenne þay ware eldare and moo. a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 119 (MED) Thai [sc. harms] bith mony mo than we haue shewid yet. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xi. 636 His fayis ar ma Than he. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 6 (MED) Erthly bestys..Bryng ye furth and wax ye mo. 1567 in J. Anderson Cal. Laing Charters (1899) 208 Becawse thai war fer may nor he was, he mycht nocht stope thaim. 1611 Bible (King James) Psalms lxix. 4 They that hate mee without a cause, are moe then the haires of mine head. View more context for this quotation 1624 R. Montagu Gagg for New Gospell? iii. 32 Ecclesiasticall constitutions are moe, more certaine; of the same authority with the Churches written Lawes. 1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. ii. 62 Seeing you are moe in Number. †c. mo..than one or two (also two or three). Also: mo..than enough. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 730 He sleped in his yrnes Mo nyȝteȝ þen in-noghe in naked rokkeȝ. a1500 Lancelot of Laik (1870) 1197 The lady said, ‘Per dee, He vsyt haith mo horss than one or two’. 1568 in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1928) II. 197 Ȝeiris and dayis mo than two or thre. 1617 Acts Parl. Scotl. (1816) IV. 545 Incace any tak..conteane moe lyverentis nor one. †3. mo and less: of all ranks or conditions. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > people > people collectively > [noun] > all people all the worldOE all ledea1275 more and minc1275 most and leasta1300 much and litec1330 mo and lessc1426 the whole world1530 cut and long tail1576 universal1596 general1604 universality1606 university1677 all outdoors1833 John Q.1937 c1426 J. Audelay Poems (1931) 78 Fore þiself furst þou pray..And fore men and wemen mo and lees. II. Additional. †4. With a singular noun: Additional to the amount specified or implied, further. Obsolete. rare. ΚΠ OE Blickling Homilies 247 Ara nu þurh mægen ures Drihtenes, and ma wæter of þinum muþe þu ne send. a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) v. i. 237 With..noyses Of roring,..gingling chaines, And mo diuersitie of sounds. 1650 H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 342 Never thirstinge ambissciously after more hono^r nor covetously of moe estate. †5. a. With a plural noun: additional to the number specified; further, other. Obsolete.Often qualified by an indefinite adjective such as many, any, etc., or by a definite numeral adjective such as one, two, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [adjective] > greater number moOE moreOE fele1340 better than1471 outnumbering1796 OE Andreas (1932) 492 Ic wæs on gifeðe iu ond nu þa syxtyne siðum on sæbate,..is ðys ane ma. OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 32 Þus byð eac on ma stowum. ?a1300 Iacob & Iosep (Bodl.) (1916) 430 (MED) Habbe ȝe..mo breþren at hom? c1330 (?a1300) Sir Tristrem (1886) l. 335 Wiþ him he left ma Pans for to play. a1425 (a1382) Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Corpus Oxf.) Ruth i. 11 Y haue no mo sonys in my wombe. c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) ii. xi. 215 Thouȝ ther wer x. thousind mo bokis writun in Londoun..of the same Seintis lijf. 1480 Table Prouffytable Lernynge (Caxton) (1964) 28 Make the ynche to seethe And put therin mo galles And more substance. 1564 W. Bullein Dialogue against Fever Pestilence f. 4^v [A beggar from Redesdale (Northumberland) says:] Besides vs pakers, many me men haue gud lucke. ?1614 W. Drummond Sonnet: Lampe of Heauens in Poems Day shall but serue moe Sorrowes to display. 1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII iii. ii. 5 You shall sustaine moe new disgraces, With these you beare alreadie. View more context for this quotation 1721 A. Ramsay Prospect of Plenty 206 For rowth shall cherish love, and love shall bring Mae men t'improve the soil. 1813 E. Picken Misc. Poems I. 151 Gie's nae mae sic wither-shins. b. Postmodifying a plural noun; also with a singular noun preceded by many a, no, or every. times mo: at other times. Obsolete. ΚΠ OE St. Margaret (Tiber.) (1994) 128 Ic nelle nan word ma of þinum muþe gehyran. c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8157 He haffde suness ma Acc himm he ȝaff þatt crune. c1395 G. Chaucer Clerk's Tale 449 Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo [etc.]. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 3210 Sex scor and seuen yeir liued sarra And deid wit-outen childer ma. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Petyt) ii. 26 (MED) After nyen & tuenty ȝere þe dede him hiþen nam, & sex monethes mo. a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 1964 After hym ther came ij kynggez moo. c1500 (?a1437) Kingis Quair (1939) xlii (MED) I..sawe hir walk..With no wight mo bot onely women tueyne. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 1162 Telamon..and Joly knightes moo..Wonen vp..vppon wale horses. ?1550 Adam Bel sig. Lii Syr they be slayne..and many an officer mo. 1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. June 57 I sawe Calliope wyth Muses moe..Theyr yvory Luyts..forgoe. 1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 20 I sawe the Cunnin and the Cat,..with vther beistis mo. 1606 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1885) 1st Ser. VII. 167 And for every through ma besyde the first through, xx s. 1748 J. Thomson Castle of Indolence i. lvi These I passen by, with nameless numbers moe. c. With a plural noun modified by other or with other as pronoun. Obsolete. ΚΠ c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 571 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 123 (MED) Seint Thomas grauntede bluþeliche þeos [sc. laws] and oþure mo. c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 2079 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 166 Ofte ich habbe þe guod i-do and manie othure mo. a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. 637 Tuo Cardinals he hath assissed With othre lordes many mo. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 14449 Lazar þat ded was..he raisid, and oþer maa. c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 79 And þis inconuenient mai not be voydid w^t mani moo oþer. 1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) i. viii. sig. a.vi Som of hem lough hym to scorne..and mo other called hym a wytche. a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1957) iii. iv. 6 The cruell Celeno, With all the vtheris Harpyis mony mo. 1545 R. Ascham Toxophilus i. f. 2^v And infinite other mo lettes. 1622 G. Wither Christmas Carol 87 Some others play at Rowlandhoe And twenty other Gameboys moe. 1652 C. B. Stapylton tr. Herodian Imperiall Hist. xvii. 144 These Countries got he left unto his heires, With other moe. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022). > see also also refers to : -mosuffix > as lemmas MO MO n. (also M-O) = mass observation n. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > study of society > [noun] > theories or methods of analysis reflexivity1662 social statics1843 social causation1848 sociography1881 functionalism1904 class analysis1919 culturalism1919 mass observation1920 survey1927 participant observation1933 participant observing1933 Verstehen1934 panel technique1938 MO1939 ahistoricism1940 historicism1940 technologism1940 action research1945 metasociology1950 pattern variable1951 structural functionalism1951 structuralism1951 panel analysis1955 cliometrics1960 unilinearism1964 technology assessment1966 symbolic interactionism1969 modernization theory1972 processualism1972 postcolonialism1974 decontextualization1976 decontextualizing1980 structurism1989 1939 C. H. Madge & T. Harrisson Brit. by Mass-observ. i. 10 Through M-O you can already listen-in to the movements of popular habit and opinion. 1971 Guardian Weekly 10 Apr. 18/1 The MO reports now held by Sussex University have been cleverly worked over. 1986 City Limits 16 Oct. 89 In 1940 I disagreed with Tom Harrisson's proposal for MO to work with the Ministry of Information. extracted from Mn. M.O. M.O. n. Military medical officer. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun] > military physician surgeon1591 medical officer1916 M.O.1916 quack1919 prick farrier1961 1916 F. M. Ford Let. 19 Dec. (1965) 80 The M.O. who has just sounded my poor old lungs again says I am to be sent to Nice. 1924 Army Q. Oct. 138 Stop a minute—give this chit to the M.O. 1944 Living off Land: Man. Bushcraft v. 97 Day's travel from the nearest M.O. 1976 R. Massey When I was Young xxiii. 196 I felt sure I was fit to serve once more with the guns. But the M.O. who examined me was dubious. He recommended that I transfer to another branch of the service. extracted from Mn. MO MO n. (also m.o.) Chemistry molecular orbital. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > atomic chemistry > [noun] > electrons > orbitals orbital1932 MO1937 1937 Trans. Faraday Soc. 33 1481 The m.o. solution depends essentially upon the solution of a one-electron problem. 1947 Q. Rev. 1 151 The energy of a M.O. is lowest..when the component atomic orbitals overlap one another as much as possible. 1968 R. O. C. Norman Princ. Org. Synthesis ii. 35 In the lower-energy MO, termed the σ1s bonding orbital..,there is an accumulation of charge in the region between the nuclei. extracted from Mn. M.O. M.O. n. money order. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > paper money > promissory notes or bills of exchange > [noun] > postal order post bill1740 money order1802 post-office order1815 order1846 P.O.O.1856 PO1861 postal note1862 postal order1864 mandat1896 M.O.1909 postal draft1929 1909 J. Joyce Let. 4 Sept. (1966) II. 246 I received your M.O. for £3.5.0. 1993 Bluenose (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Mar. 61/2 Send a 4″×6″ print and a cheque/M.O. for $12 (inc. taxes and S&H). extracted from Mn. m.o. m.o. n. (also MO) modus operandi; (also occasionally glossed as) method(s) of operation. ΘΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > [noun] > specifically of a thing modus operandi1654 modus agendi1785 m.o.1915 1915 R. B. Fosdick European Police Syst. ix. 344 I refer to the so-called ‘M. O.’ or Modus Operandi System. 1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 114/3 MO,..method of operation (modus operandi). 1956 ‘E. McBain’ Cop Hater (1958) vii. 66 It was possible that the two deaths were unrelated..but not very probable. The m.o. was remarkably similar. 1973 ‘J. Ryder’ Trevayne (1974) xlvii. 356 I'm square enough to disapprove of the M.O.'s. The methods of operation. 1995 M. Dibdin Dark Spectre 45 ‘Then there's the MO,’ Kristine Kjarstad continued. ‘This guy sounds like a violent slob, a wife-beater. You'd expect him to use a shotgun, something messy like that, not a neat shot in the back of the head.’ extracted from Mn. < n.²1814n.³1836n.⁴1894n.⁵?1896n.⁶1968n.⁷1980adj.²pron.²adv.²1858adv.¹pron.¹n.¹adj.¹eOE see also as lemmas
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Mon.2

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mo'adj.2pron.2adv.2

moadv.1pron.1n.1adj.1

> see also

> as lemmas

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mo'adj.²pron.²adv.²

moadv.¹pron.¹n.¹adj.¹