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max

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmæks// max Archaic Informal Slang

n. the highest amount or level that is possible or allowed. You use it when you want to say something has reached its limit.

n. the maximum limit, capacity, or value achievable in a given context. Often used as a shortened form of 'maximum' in informal or technical registers.


SIMPLE

The stadium is at its max today.

CONTEXTUAL

The pilot pushed the engines to their max to clear the mountain range safely during the ascent.

COMPLEX

Engineers designed the bridge to withstand a weight load far beyond its theoretical max, ensuring safety even during extreme weather events or heavy traffic congestion.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from German Max, diminutive of Maximilian in the 19th century, later also used as a nickname for Maxwell.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'to the max' to mean 'to the greatest possible extent'.

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