UKC

Mass strike, or large strike?

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 ablackett 10 Jul 2014
BBC news headline "Public sector workers in mass strike". Is it correct to use mass as an adjective like this? It has always grated on me, and I have assumed it to be incorrect usage, but if the BBC is going for it perhaps it's ok.

 toad 10 Jul 2014
In reply to ablackett:

Where do you stand on the debating question?
 blurty 10 Jul 2014
In reply to ablackett:

I've no idea how solid it's going to be. (E.g my wife, a teacher has chosen to be a scab! As have a few of her colleagues))

If it's solid then 'mass' is fair perhaps.

So much is outsourced these days I'm not sure if it will have much impact anyway. I don't think the strike has much public support.
 Darron 10 Jul 2014
In reply to ablackett:

They are probably using the term 'mass' because the action is across a number of unions and sectors not just one.
 Philip 10 Jul 2014
If you type "define mass" into Google, the definition of the adjective seems perfectly correct:

'involving or affecting large numbers of people or things.'
OP ablackett 10 Jul 2014
In reply to Philip:

OK, Merriam Webster gives the first usage of mass as an adjective as 1733, so I guess that makes it ok. OED doesn't have it though, so I don't like it.
 mark s 10 Jul 2014
In reply to ablackett:

not too fussed about the English lesson.
we walked out of the doors at 10.nit even my shift today but still walked out and stood outside for half an hour.
 Daniel Duerden 10 Jul 2014
In reply to blurty:

Your Wife needs to leave the NUT and join a union who isn't striking then.
 marsbar 10 Jul 2014
In reply to Daniel Duerden:

He didn't say she is in the NUT and its none of your business.
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