What does "many" mean?

Additional senses

1. 2.Note: Many is freely prefixed to participles, forming compounds which need no special explanation; as, many-angled, many-celled, many-eyed, many-footed, many-handed, many-leaved, many-lettered, many-named, many-peopled, many-petaled, many-seeded, many-syllabled (polysyllabic), many-tongued, many-voiced, many-wived, and the like. Comparison is often expressed by many with as or so. "As many as were willing hearted . . . brought bracelets." Exod. xxxv.
2. 3."So many laws argue so many sins." Milton. Many stands with a singular substantive with a or an. Many a, a large number taken distributively; each one of many. "For thy sake have I shed many a tear." Shak. "Full many a gem of purest ray serene." Gray. -- Many one, many a one; many persons. BK. of Com. Prayer. -- The many, the majority; -- opposed to the few. See Many, n. -- Too many, too numerous; hence, too powerful; as, they are too many for us. L'Estrange.
3. 4.The populace; the common people; the majority of people, or of a community. After him the rascal many ran. Spenser.
4. 5.A large or considerable number. A many of our bodies shall no doubt Find native graves. Shak. Seeing a great many in rich gowns. Addison. It will be concluded by manythat he lived like an honest man. Fielding. Note: In this sense, many is connected immediately with another substantive (without of) to show of what the many consists; as, a good many [of] people think so. He is liable to a great many inconveniences. Tillotson.