a good many
A large amount. There were a good many people doing last minute shopping at the mall on Christmas Eve.
good many, a
Also, a great many. A large number of, as in A good many checks have come in already, or We saw only a few hikers on the trail, when we had thought there would be a great many . The first term dates from the early 1800s, the variant from the late 1600s. Also see a lot; quite a bit (few).