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number

[ nuhm-ber ]

/ ˈnʌm bər /

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See synonyms for: number / numbered / numbering / numbers on Thesaurus.com

noun

a numeral or group of numerals.

the sum, total, count, or aggregate of a collection of units, or the like: A number of people were hurt in the accident.The number of children experiencing homelessness in the city has risen alarmingly.

a word or symbol, or a combination of words or symbols, used in counting or in noting a total.

the particular numeral assigned to an object so as to designate its place in a series: house number;license number.

one of a series of things distinguished by or marked with numerals.

a certain collection, company, or quantity not precisely reckoned, but usually considerable or large: I've gone there a number of times.

the full count of a collection or company.

a collection or company.

a quantity of individuals: Their number was more than 20,000.

numbers,

a considerable amount or quantity; many: Numbers flocked to the city to see the parade.
metrical feet; verse.
musical periods, measures, or groups of notes.
numbers pool (def. 1).
Informal. the figures representing the actual cost, expense, profit, etc.: We won't make a decision until we see the numbers.
Obsolete. arithmetic.

quantity as composed of units: to increase the number of eligible voters.

numerical strength or superiority; complement: The garrison is not up to its full number.

a tune or arrangement for singing or dancing.

a single or distinct performance within a show, as a song or dance: The comic routine followed the dance number.

a single part of a program made up of a group of similar parts: For her third number she played a nocturne.

any of a collection of poems or songs.

a distinct part of an extended musical work or one in a sequence of compositions.

conformity in music or verse to regular beat or measure; rhythm.

a single part of a book published in a series of parts.

a single issue of a periodical: several numbers of a popular magazine.

a code of numerals, letters, or a combination of these assigned to a particular telephone: Did you call the right number?

Grammar. a category of noun, verb, or adjective inflection found in many languages, as English, Latin, and Arabic, used to indicate whether a word has one or more than one referent. There may be a two-way distinction in number, as between singular and plural, three-way, as between singular, dual, and plural, or more.

Informal. a person; individual: the attractive number standing at the bar.

Informal. an article of merchandise, especially of wearing apparel, offered for sale: Put those leather numbers in the display window.

mathematics regarded as a science, a basic concept, and a mode of thought: Number is the basis of science.

verb (used with object)

to mark with or distinguish by numbers: Number each of the definitions.

to amount to or comprise in number; total: The manuscript already numbers 425 pages.

to consider or include in a number: I number myself among his friends.

to count over one by one;tell: to number one's blessings.

to mention individually or one by one; enumerate: They numbered the highlights of their trip at length.

to set or fix the number of; limit in number; make few in number: The sick old man's days are numbered.

to live or have lived (a number of years).

to ascertain the number of; count.

to apportion or divide: The players were numbered into two teams.

verb (used without object)

to make a total; reach an amount: Casualties numbered in the thousands.

to be numbered or included (usually followed by among or with): Several eminent scientists number among his friends.

to count.

OTHER WORDS FOR number

1 digit, figure.

20 edition.

See synonyms for number on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about number

by the numbers,

according to standard procedure, rules, customs, etc.; orthodoxly; by the book: We're going to run things here by the numbers.
together or in unison to a called-out count: calisthenics by the numbers.

do a number on, Slang.

to undermine, defeat, humiliate, or criticize thoroughly: The committee really did a number on the mayor's proposal.
to discuss or discourse about, especially in an entertaining way: She could do a number on anything from dentistry to the Bomb.

do one's number,

to give a performance; perform: It's time for you to get on stage and do your number.
Slang. to behave in a predictable or customary manner: Whenever I call, he does his number about being too busy to talk.

get / have someone's number, Informal. to become informed about someone's real motives, character, intentions, etc.: He was only interested in her fortune, but she got his number fast.

have one's number on it, Slang. to be thought of as the instrument of fate in the death of a person: That bullet had his number on it.

one's number is / was / will be up, Slang.

one is (was, will be) in serious trouble.
one is (was, will be) on the point of death: Convinced that her number was up anyway, she refused to see doctors.

without number, of unknown or countless number; vast: stars without number.

Origin of number

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1940–45 for def. 23; Middle English noun nombre, nomber, number, from Old French nombre, numbre, from Latin numerus; verb derivative of the noun)

synonym study for number

2. Number, sum both imply the total of two or more units. Number applies to the result of a count or estimate in which the units are considered as individuals; it is used of groups of persons or things: to have a number of items on the agenda. Sum applies to the result of addition, in which only the total is considered: a large sum of money.

grammar notes for number

2. As a collective noun, number, when preceded by a, is most often treated as a plural: A number of legislators have voiced their dissent. When preceded by the, it is usually used as a singular: The number of legislators present was small. See also collective noun.

words often confused with number

See amount,

OTHER WORDS FROM number

num·ber·a·ble, adjectivenum·ber·er, nounde·num·ber, verb (used with object)mis·num·ber, verb

pre·num·ber, verb (used with object), nounre·num·ber, verb (used with object)sub·num·ber, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH number

amount, number (see confusables note at amount)

Words nearby number

Numantian, Numa Pompilius, Numazu, numb, numbat, number, number-cruncher, number crunching, numbered account, number eight wire, numberless

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use number in a sentence

Administration officials note that a number of former employees also have praised the president extensively and that the president has overwhelming support in his own party.
Former Pence aide says she will vote for Biden because of Trump’s ‘flat out disregard for human life’ during pandemic|Josh Dawsey|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
By Sunday, that number will rise to nearly 20 states, including Wisconsin, Georgia, Indiana, Virginia and Rhode Island.
Trump, in town hall, says he wouldn’t have done anything differently on pandemic|Colby Itkowitz, Josh Dawsey, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
Increasing numbers of rank-and-file Democrats are beginning to question that approach.
Frustrated House Democrats push for action on new economic relief bill|Erica Werner|September 15, 2020|Washington Post
Baron Cohen spoke to Kardashian West and helped attract a number of other celebrities, Steyer said.
Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, and Leonardo DiCaprio plan one-day Instagram boycott. Here’s why|Danielle Abril|September 15, 2020|Fortune

The exact number of people posting the messages was not clear.
Pro-Trump youth group enlists teens in secretive campaign likened to a ‘troll farm,’ prompting rebuke by Facebook and Twitter|Isaac Stanley-Becker|September 15, 2020|Washington Post
“Our members continue to face a number of challenges,” she said.
The Republican War on Kale|Patricia Murphy|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The number of dissenters though is unprecedented in the modern era.
Democrats Accidentally Save Boehner From Republican Coup|Ben Jacobs, Jackie Kucinich|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Starting under Theodore Roosevelt and Howard Taft, embassies headed by career diplomats increased in number.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale|William O’Connor|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The number of diplomats was pitiful (45 appointees in 1860), as was the amount of money allocated to them.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale|William O’Connor|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Jett sees this number as a marker of how much the president allows professionals to do the job.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale|William O’Connor|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The country is well inhabited, for it contains fifty-one cities, near a hundred walled towns, and a great number of villages.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
We had six field-pieces, but we only took four, harnessed wit twice the usual number of horses.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
There are a number of bacilli, called acid-fast bacilli, which stain in the same way as the tubercle bacillus.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Five of the number had studied with Liszt before, and the young men are artists already before the public.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
I do not think the average number of passengers on a corresponding route in our country could be so few as twenty.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley

British Dictionary definitions for number

number

/ (ˈnʌmbə) /

noun

a concept of quantity that is or can be derived from a single unit, the sum of a collection of units, or zero. Every number occupies a unique position in a sequence, enabling it to be used in counting. It can be assigned to one or more sets that can be arranged in a hierarchical classification: every number is a complex number; a complex number is either an imaginary number or a real number, and the latter can be a rational number or an irrational number; a rational number is either an integer or a fraction, while an irrational number can be a transcendental number or an algebraic numberSee complex number, imaginary number, real number, rational number, irrational number, integer, fraction, transcendental number, algebraic number See also cardinal number, ordinal number

the symbol used to represent a number; numeral

a numeral or string of numerals used to identify a person or thing, esp in numerical ordera telephone number

the person or thing so identified or designatedshe was number seven in the race

the sum or quantity of equal or similar units or thingsa large number of people

one of a series, as of a magazine or periodical; issue

a self-contained piece of pop or jazz music
a self-contained part of an opera or other musical score, esp one for the stage

a group or band of people, esp an exclusive grouphe was not one of our number

slang a person, esp a womanwho's that nice little number?

informal an admired article, esp an item of clothing for a womanthat little number is by Dior

slang a cannabis cigaretteroll another number

a grammatical category for the variation in form of nouns, pronouns, and any words agreeing with them, depending on how many persons or things are referred to, esp as singular or plural in number and in some languages dual or trial

any number of several or many

by numbers military (of a drill procedure, etc) performed step by step, each move being made on the call of a number

do a number on someone US slang to manipulate or trick someone

get someone's number or have someone's number informal to discover someone's true character or intentions

in numbers in large numbers; numerously

one's number is up British informal one is finished; one is ruined or about to die

without number or beyond number of too great a quantity to be counted; innumerable

verb (mainly tr)

to assign a number to

to add up to; total

(also intr) to list (items) one by one; enumerate

(also intr) to put or be put into a group, category, etcthey were numbered among the worst hit

to limit the number ofhis days were numbered

Word Origin for number

C13: from Old French nombre, from Latin numerus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for number

number

[ nŭm′bər ]

A member of the set of positive integers. Each number is one of a series of unique symbols, each of which has exactly one predecessor except the first symbol in the series (1), and none of which are the predecessor of more than one number.

A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects defined in terms of such numbers, such as negative integers, real numbers, and complex numbers.

Cultural definitions for number

number

The grammatical category that classifies a noun, pronoun, or verb as singular or plural. Woman, it, and is are singular; women, they, and are are plural.

Other Idioms and Phrases with number

number

In addition to the idiom beginning with number

number is up, one's

also see:

a number of
any number of
back number
by the numbers
crunch numbers
days are numbered
do a job (number) on
get (have) someone's number
hot number
in round numbers
look out for (number one)
opposite number
safety in numbers

number

OTHER WORDS FOR number

Idioms about number

Origin of number

synonym study for number

grammar notes for number

words often confused with number

OTHER WORDS FROM number

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH number

Words nearby number

Words related to number

How to use number in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for number

Word Origin for number

Scientific definitions for number

Cultural definitions for number

Other Idioms and Phrases with number