[Grammar] Many's the time

[kadioguy]

many's the
formal + literary
— used to say that something is common or has happened often

Many's the day we have spent together. [=we have spent many days together]
Many's the time I've been there. [=I've been there many times]

http://learnersdictionary.com/definition/Many's the
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1. Does "many's the" means "many is the"?
2. How about "many are the times"?

For example: Many are the times I've been there.

Is this sentence acceptable?

3. Are the following correct?
a. Many's the time when I've been there.
b. Many's the time that I've been there.

 

[Tdol]

Use many's the time, not the plural. With the sentences in 3, the second works better for me.

 

[kadioguy]

Use many's the time, not the plural.

Does "many's the ..." means "many is the ..."?

With the sentences in 3, the second works better for me.

So do you mean with the sentences in 3, both (a) and (b) are acceptable, but the second works better for you?

 

[kadioguy]

Use many's the time, not the plural.

But I just saw the following:

Q: I came across this phrase "many are the times". What's the meaning? Does it mean "many times" or "always" or other?

A1:
It means there are many times a particular event, thought or action has occurred.

"Many are the times I yearn to be free."

It is similar to "many a time".

A2:
It means "many times" but sounds more poetics.

Here's one example from a book:

"Many are the times that I have left the hunting fields at the end of the day and looked into the twilight to see the silhouette of hunters and dogs heading home, all of them my friends."

It means:
"I have left the hunting fields at the end of the day many times and looked..."

https://www.italki.com/question/375057

 

[TheParser]

1. Does "many's the" means "many is the"?

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Kadioguy:

I could not find many examples on the World Wide Web, but apparently some people feel that "many's the time" is short for "Many was the time."

Here are the three examples that I found:

1. "Before the snow came, many was the time he had come to sit …." (wordhippo.com.)

2. "Many was the time that a man would fall in the heat of battle, and …." (reddit.com.)

3. "When I was a kid, many was the time I laid on, sat on, stepped on, and swallowed Lego." (Facebook.com.)

 

[kadioguy]

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Kadioguy:

I could not find many examples on the World Wide Web, but apparently some people feel that "many's the time" is short for "Many was the time."

Here are the three examples that I found:

1. "Before the snow came, many was the time he had come to sit …." (wordhippo.com.)

2. "Many was the time that a man would fall in the heat of battle, and …." (reddit.com.)

3. "When I was a kid, many was the time I laid on, sat on, stepped on, and swallowed Lego." (Facebook.com.)

Please note that the tenses in blue are all in the past simple or past perfect; I think this is why it writes many was the time. In other words, in my opinion, it can be rewritten as the following:

1. "Many is the time he has come to sit …."

2. "Many is the time that a man will fall in the heat of battle, and …."

3. "Many is the time I have laid on, sat on, stepped on, and swallowed Lego."

 

[probus]

It is also common and natural to say "many a time".

For example:

Many a time I have looked back with regret.

Many a time he was warned against riding his motorcycle in the city.

 

[Raymott]

In other words, in my opinion, it can be rewritten as the following:

1. "Many is the time he has come to sit …."

I don't think so. I take it to be idiomatic. There's other examples, such as "there's".
"There's four patients waiting to see you, Doctor" cannot be expressed as "There is four patients...."