number one
- oneself, especially one's own well-being or interests: to look out for number one.
- a person, company, etc., that is first in rank, order, or prestige: Our team is number one.
- urination: used especially by or with reference to children.
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- of the highest in quality, status, importance, etc.; first-rate: a number one performance.
- first in rank, order, or prestige: the number one book on the bestseller list.
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- make/do/go number one, Informal. to urinate: used especially by or with reference to children.
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Origin of number one
First recorded in 1830–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for number one
Contemporary Examples
The musical promise of eternal youth sold to the tune of 5.5 million copies and five number-one singles.
But after logging her eighth number-one single, Katy Perry might be the biggest pop star of her time.
My husband in my number-one priority and I his; why would we want to change this so we can be slaves to a child?
But the number-one thing rats want to be around is people, people who drop garbage on the ground.
The voting portion of the contest ended yesterday, and I swept the number-one spot.
Historical Examples
"I've a very great mind to give you a number-one kicking," said Billy.
The Jungle BookRudyard Kipling
Not number-one jade, of course, but still jade, and of value.
CivilizationEllen Newbold La Motte
You ought to be mighty proud because all men think you are a number-one musher.
Smoke BellewJack London
You've got thirty tons of fuel—you want to find the compression ratio of the number-one firing-tube chamber—so what do you do?
Stand by for Mars!Carey Rockwell
I guess you won't see such a number-one instep as yours any time on these effete old London side-walks.
number one
- the first in a series or sequence
- an informal phrase for oneself, myself to look after number one
- informal the most important person; leader, chiefhe's number one in the organization
- informal the bestselling pop record in any one week
- euphemistic the act or an instance of urination
- a haircut in which the hair is cut very close to the head with an electric shaver
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- first in importance, urgency, quality, etcnumber one priority
- informal (of a pop record) having reached the top of the charts
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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