so many

so many idiom
  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.

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