Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A considerable number; a great many; a great deal.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Scotland A considerable number or quantity; a great many; a great deal.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Of obscure origin. Perhaps from Middle English *antel, *antæl, from Old English *antæl, *andtæl, equivalent to and- +‎ tale (“number”); or more likely of North Germanic origin, related to Danish and Swedish antal ("a number, multitude"), Dutch aantal ("a number, a great many"), German Anzahl ("a number, quantity, multitude"). The addition of initial h is believed to be due to influence from Middle English handfull ("handful").

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