a body of coherent matter, usually of indefinite shape and often of considerable size

a mass of dough.

a collection of incoherent particles, parts, or objects regarded as forming one body

a mass of sand.

aggregate; whole (usually prec. by in the )

People, in the mass, mean well.

a considerable assemblage, number, or quantity

a mass of errors; a mass of troops.

bulk, size, expanse, or massiveness

towers of great mass and strength.

Fine Arts .

Painting . an expanse of color or tone that defines form or shape in general outline rather than in detail.

a shape or three-dimensional volume that has or gives the illusion of having weight, density, and bulk.

the main body, bulk, or greater part of anything

the great mass of American films.

Physics . the quantity of matter as determined from its weight or from Newton's second law of motion. Abbreviation

m Compare weight def. 2 relativistic mass rest mass.

Pharmacology . a preparation of thick, pasty consistency, from which pills are made.

the masses, the ordinary or common people as a whole; the working classes or the lower social classes.

pertaining to, involving, or affecting a large number of people

mass unemployment; mass migrations; mass murder.

participated in or performed by a large number of people, esp. together in a group

mass demonstrations; mass suicide.

pertaining to, involving, or characteristic of the mass of the people

the mass mind; a movie designed to appeal to a mass audience.

reaching or designed to reach a large number of people

television, newspapers, and other means of mass communication.

done on a large scale or in large quantities

mass destruction.

to come together in or form a mass or masses

The clouds are massing in the west.

to gather into or dispose in a mass or masses; assemble

The houses are massed in blocks.

noun

accumulation , aggregate , assemblage , band , batch , block , bulk , bunch , chunk , clot , coagulation , collection , combination , concretion , conglomeration , core , corpus , crowd , entirety , gob , great deal , greater part , group , heap , horde , host , hunk , knot , lion’s share , load , lot , lump , majority , mob , mound , mountain , much , number , object , peck , piece , pile , plurality , preponderance , pyramid , quantity , shock , stack , staple , stockpile , sum , sum total , throng , totality , troop , volume , wad , whole , dimension , extent , greatness , magnitude , size , span , aggregation , amassment , congeries , cumulation , gathering , agglomeration , bank , cumulus , drift , hill , mess , tumble , abundance , plenty , profusion , wealth , world , crush , drove , flock , multitude , press , ruck , swarm , army , cloud , legion , score , preponderancy , amplitude , common , commonality , commoner , hoi polloi , pleb , plebeian , populace , public , third estate , accumulate , agglomerate , agglutination , assemble , bigness , blob , body , bundle , composition , congregate , congregation , consolidate , dimensions , gather , gross , jam , liturgy , matter , measurement , ponderosity , prayer , rite , service , spissitude , store , substance