mostly


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most·ly

 (mōst′lē)
adv.
1. For the greatest part; mainly.
2. Generally; usually.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

mostly

(ˈməʊstlɪ)
adv
1. almost entirely; chiefly
2. on many or most occasions; usually
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

most•ly

(ˈmoʊst li)

adv.
1. for the most part; in the main.
2. chiefly.
3. generally; customarily.
[1585–95]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adv.1.mostly - in large part; mainly or chiefly; "These accounts are largely inactive"
2.mostly - usually; as a rule; "by and large it doesn't rain much here"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

mostly

adverb
1. mainly, largely, chiefly, principally, primarily, above all, on the whole, predominantly, for the most part, almost entirely I am working with mostly highly motivated people.
2. generally, usually, on the whole, most often, as a rule, customarily We mostly go to clubs, or round to a friend's house.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
většinouz největší části
for det meste
enimmäkseen
la plupart du tempspour la plupartprincipalementsurtout
uglavnom
aî mestu leyti, aîallega
たいてい
대부분
v glavnemvečinoma
mest
ส่วนมาก
головним чиномздебільшого
hầu hết là

mostly

[ˈməʊstlɪ] ADV (= mainly) → en su mayoría, en su mayor parte
they are mostly womenen su mayoría or en su mayor parte son mujeres, la mayoría or casi todas son mujeres
this part of the country is mostly unspoiledesta zona del país conserva, en su mayor parte, su belleza natural
owls hunt mostly at nightel búho caza principalmente or sobre todo de noche
mostly becauseprincipalmente porque ..., sobre todo porque ...
it's mostly finishedestá casi terminado
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

mostly

[ˈməʊstli] adv
(= chiefly) → principalement, surtout
She had an exciting career, mostly in Birmingham → Elle a eu une carrière passionnante, principalement à Birmingham.
Her pictures sold well, mostly to friends and family → Ses tableaux se sont bien vendus, principalement à des proches.
to be mostly sth [+ material] → être composé principalement de qch
Cars are mostly metal → Les voitures sont composées principalement de métal.
to consist mostly of sth → consister principalement en qch
(= for the most part) → pour la plupart
The teachers are mostly quite nice → La plupart des professeurs sont assez gentils., Les professeurs sont, pour la plupart, assez gentils.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

mostly

adv (= principally)hauptsächlich; (= most of the time)meistens; (= by and large)zum größten Teil; they are mostly women/over fiftydie meisten sind Frauen/über fünfzig; mostly because …hauptsächlich, weil …
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

mostly

[ˈməʊstlɪ] adv (chiefly) → per lo più; (usually) → in genere
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

most

(məust) superlative of many ~much (often with the) – adjective
1. (the) greatest number or quantity of. Which of the students has read the most books?; Reading is what gives me most enjoyment.
2. the majority or greater part of. Most children like playing games; Most modern music is difficult to understand.
adverb
1. used to form the superlative of many adjectives and adverbs, especially those of more than two syllables. Of all the women I know, she's the most beautiful; the most delicious cake I've ever tasted; We see her mother or father sometimes, but we see her grandmother most frequently.
2. to the greatest degree or extent. They like sweets and biscuits but they like ice-cream most of all.
3. very or extremely. I'm most grateful to you for everything you've done; a most annoying child.
4. (American) almost. Most everyone I know has read that book.
pronoun
1. the greatest number or quantity. I ate two cakes, but Mary ate more, and John ate (the) most.
2. the greatest part; the majority. He'll be at home for most of the day; Most of these students speak English; Everyone is leaving – most have gone already.
ˈmostly adverb
to the greatest degree or extent, or for most of the time; mainly. The air we breathe is mostly nitrogen and oxygen; Mostly I go to the library rather than buy books.
at (the) most
taking the greatest estimate. There were fifty people in the audience at (the) most.
for the most part
mostly. For the most part, the passengers on the ship were Swedes.
make the most of (something)
to take advantage of (an opportunity etc) to the greatest possible extent. You'll only get one chance, so you'd better make the most of it!
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

mostly

فِي الْأَغْلَبِ většinou for det meste größtenteils κυρίως principalmente enimmäkseen principalement uglavnom perlopiù たいてい 대부분 grotendeels for det meste przeważnie na maioria das vezes по большей части mest ส่วนมาก çoğunlukla hầu hết là 大部分
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
"Comrades of the thunder and companions of death, I cannot but regard it as singularly fortunate that we who by conviction and sympathy are designated by nature as the champions of that fairest of her products, the white metal, should also, by a happy chance, be engaged mostly in the business of mining it.
But anyway, he gets out by himself and mopes and thinks; and mostly he hunts for a lonesome place high up on the hill in the edge of the woods, and sets there and looks away off on the big Mississippi down there a-reaching miles and miles around the points where the timber looks smoky and dim it's so far off and still, and everything's so solemn it seems like everybody you've loved is dead and gone, and you 'most wish you was dead and gone too, and done with it all.
They say the jail chaplains are mostly the fag-end o' the clergy."
And mostly in difficulties, yet mostly lavish, too, in the expensive articles of print and paper.
It's hid in mighty particular places, Huck -- sometimes on islands, sometimes in rot- ten chests under the end of a limb of an old dead tree, just where the shadow falls at midnight; but mostly under the floor in ha'nted houses."
This little coterie of friends was composed of seven famous men, who possessed many talents in common, being poets and musicians, alchemists, philosophers, and mostly hard drinkers as well.
An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.
Not mostly!" answered the mother, with a tender smile.
Then there is the steam-engine style of driving; these drivers were mostly people from towns, who never had a horse of their own and generally traveled by rail.
This was mostly a journey to the farmhouse on the slopes above the vale, to inquire how the advanced cows were getting on in the straw-barton to which they were relegated.
The piano we may ignore, for I knew it to be hired, but there were many dainty pieces, mostly in green wood, a sofa, a corner cupboard, and a most captivating desk, which was so like its owner that it could have sat down at her and dashed off a note.
A close carriage stood at the church door; a few people, mostly of the lower class, and mostly old women, were scattered about the interior of the building.