so many
1. A large number; very many. There are so many choices in big grocery stores like this that I actually find it a bit overwhelming.
2. A non-specific number (of something). There are only so many hours in a day that I'm able to work on this project, so I don't know how I'm going to get everything done in time. Like so many activists before us, we stand here today to fight for our basic human rights.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
so many
1. Such a large number, as in There were so many guests that we didn't have enough chairs. [First half of 1200s]
2. An unspecified number, as in There allegedly are so many shrimp per pound, but of course the exact number depends on their size and weight . [First half of 1500s]
3. Forming a group, as in The reporters turned on the speaker like so many tigers let loose. [c. 1600]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ˈso much/many (something)
a certain amount/number (of something): At the end of every working week I have to write in my notebook that I drove so many miles at so much per litre.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017