many a time
6
2.6
- idiom
:
muchas veces
- I have seen that movie many a time.
- so many a time
I've tried many a time to stop it and I can't.
- I've tried many a time to stop it and I can't.
- Like it has crossed my mind many a time.
- You may have heard many a time already that the EPA is monitoring air quality levels and water quality levels.
- You know, as I've said many a time before, these are symptoms that when put together, say if your cat is not fixed, then your cat is most definitely in heat.
- Cause fuck, man, I've thrown in the white, I've raised the white flag, dude, many a times.
- I've lost an, a, a very large amount of weight, but I, I've plateaued many a times during my, my journey.
- Yeah, and a lot of the things that I wrote people I meant me in this situation has happened many a times.
Examples
-
Signior Antonio... many a time, and oft in the Rialto, you have reviled me about my moneys and my usances.
-
I've spent the night there many a time.
Fiction book (2001) -
We went by his word and he saved our skin many a time.
-
Many a time have we seen the sun rise after a night of fine talk.
Fiction book (1995) -
And what you have to say, sir, I have heard many a time afore.
-
I have heard it said many a time that Americans like winners and don't like losers.
Blog text (34) -
I've been in the military for years, I've seen this situation many a time.
-
The thing is, as I've said many a time, when you're an entrepreneur, a brand owner, a son, a brother, you're never really off.
-
I've dealt many a time with an uncooperative bridal party, bad-tempered family, or weird dynamics.
Blog text (25) -
I have seen that movie many a time.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Happens many times
476
1.0
Happening many times in a short time
386
1.0
Often at the same or fixed times
382
1.0
It happens again and again
268
1.0
Happens many times
255
1.0
Many times on different occasions
98
4.9
Happens many times, usually within a short time
73
1.8
Very often on many occasions
47
1.8
Happens again and again
12
9.9
On many occasions
On many occasions
Antonyms
How Often
740
1.0
476
1.0
6
2.6
∞
1.0
438
2.0
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'on many occasions' is directly and compositionally derived from 'many' (a large number) combined with 'a time' (an occasion), effectively equivalent to 'many times'. Although the construction is somewhat formal/old-fashioned in register, its semantics follow ordinary compositional logic found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Many a time comes from an older way of speaking where people used many a followed by time to picture many separate moments, one after another. So the phrase means 'on many occasions' or 'often'.