Showing results for "number"

• comparative of numb.

number

American  

[nuhm-ber] / ˈnʌm bər /

noun

• numbers
  plural

1. a numeral or group of numerals.

   Synonyms:

   figure, digit

2. the sum, total, count, or aggregate of a collection of people or things.

   The number of children experiencing homelessness in the city has risen alarmingly.

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

4. the particular numeral assigned to an object or, sometimes, a person, indicating its place in a series.

   house number;

   license number;

   jersey number.

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

   Number 5's order is ready to be delivered.

6. a code of numerals, letters, or a combination of these assigned to a particular telephone.

   Did you call the right number?

7. quantity as composed of units or individuals.

   The governor put forth a plan to increase the number of eligible voters.

8. the count or quantity of a collection or company.

   Their number was more than 20,000.

9. numbers,

   1. a considerable amount or quantity; many.

      Numbers flocked to the city to see the parade.

   2. metrical feet; verse.

   3. musical periods, measures, or groups of notes.

   4. numbers pool.

   5. Informal. the figures representing the actual cost, expense, profit, etc..

      We won't make a decision until we see the numbers.

   6. Obsolete. arithmetic.

10. numerical strength or superiority; complement.

    The garrison is not up to its full number.

11. a single or distinct performance within a show, as a song or dance.

    The comic routine followed the dance number.

12. a single part of a program made up of a group of similar parts.

    For her third number she played a nocturne.

13. any of a collection of poems or songs.

14. a tune or arrangement for singing or dancing.

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

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

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

18. a single issue of a periodical.

    The bookcase contained several numbers of a popular magazine.

    Synonyms:

    edition

19. Grammar. a category of noun, verb, or adjective inflection found in many languages, such 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 a more complex system.

20. Informal. a person; individual.

    Why don't you go talk to the attractive number standing at the bar?

21. Informal. an article of merchandise, especially of clothing, offered for sale.

    Put those leather numbers in the display window.

22. mathematics regarded as a system, a basic concept, and a mode of thought.

    Number is the basis of science.

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verb (used with object)

• numbers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• numbered,
  past participle,  past
• numbering
  present participle

1. to mark with or distinguish by numeral.

   Number each of the definitions.

2. to ascertain the number of; count.

3. to total or amount to.

   The manuscript already numbers 425 pages.

4. to consider or include in a collection or group.

   I number myself among his friends.

5. to count over one by one.

   to number one's blessings.

6. to mention individually or one by one; list; enumerate.

   They numbered the highlights of their trip at length.

7. to set or fix the number of; limit in number; make few in number.

   The sick old man's days are numbered.

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

9. to apportion or divide by counting (used withoff ).

   The players were numbered off into two teams.

verb (used without object)

• numbers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• numbered,
  past participle,  past
• numbering
  present participle

1. to make a total; reach an amount.

   Casualties numbered in the thousands.

2. to be numbered or included (usually followed by among orwith ).

   Several eminent scientists number among his friends.

3. to count.

idioms

1. get / have someone's number, to become informed about someone's real motives, character, intentions, etc..

   He was only interested in her fortune, but she got his number fast.

2. do a number on,

   1. to undermine, defeat, humiliate, or criticize thoroughly.

      The committee really did a number on the mayor's proposal.

   2. to discuss or discourse about, especially in an entertaining way.

      She could do a number on anything from dentistry to the Bomb.

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

   1. one is (was, will be) in serious trouble.

   2. one is (was, will be) on the point of death.

      Convinced that her number was up anyway, she refused to see doctors.

4. without number, of unknown or countless number; vast.

   The night sky was filled with stars without number.

5. by the numbers,

   1. according to standard procedure, rules, customs, etc.; orthodoxly; by the book.

      We're going to run things here by the numbers.

   2. together or in unison to a called-out count.

      The class involves calisthenics by the numbers.

6. have someone's number on it, to be thought of as the instrument of fate in the death of a person.

   That bullet had his number on it.

7. do one's number,

   1. to give a performance; perform.

      It's time for you to get on stage and do your number.

   2. Slang. to behave in a predictable or customary manner.

      Whenever I call, he does his number about being too busy to talk.

8. any number of, an imprecisely reckoned but large or diverse collection.

   The island is home to any number of artistic residents from around the world.

9. a number of, an imprecisely reckoned collection of more than a few; several.

   In a number of states, like Ohio, Iowa, and North Carolina, early voting has already begun.

number British  

/ ˈnʌmbə /

noun

1. 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 number See complex number imaginary number real number rational number irrational number integer fraction transcendental number algebraic number See also cardinal number ordinal number

2. the symbol used to represent a number; numeral

3. a numeral or string of numerals used to identify a person or thing, esp in numerical order

   a telephone number

4. the person or thing so identified or designated

   she was number seven in the race

5. the sum or quantity of equal or similar units or things

   a large number of people

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

7. 1. a self-contained piece of pop or jazz music

   2. a self-contained part of an opera or other musical score, esp one for the stage

8. a group or band of people, esp an exclusive group

   he was not one of our number

9. slang a person, esp a woman

   who's that nice little number?

10. informal an admired article, esp an item of clothing for a woman

    that little number is by Dior

11. slang a cannabis cigarette

    roll another number

12. 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

13. several or many

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

15. slang to manipulate or trick someone

16. informal to discover someone's true character or intentions

17. in large numbers; numerously

18. informal one is finished; one is ruined or about to die

19. of too great a quantity to be counted; innumerable

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verb

1. to assign a number to

2. to add up to; total

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

4. (also intr) to put or be put into a group, category, etc

   they were numbered among the worst hit

5. to limit the number of

   his days were numbered

number Scientific  

/ nŭm′bər /

1. 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.

2. 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.

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number Cultural  

1. 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.

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number More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing number

• 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

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Grammar

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.

Commonly Confused

See amount,

Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• numberer
  noun
• subnumber
  noun
• misnumber
  verb
• denumber
  verb (used with object)
• prenumber
  verb (used with object)
• renumber
  verb (used with object)
• numberable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• numbers
  plural

Participles

• numbering
  present
• numbered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• number
  simple
• numbers
  simple
• have numbered
  perfect
• has numbered
  perfect
• am numbering
  progressive
• are numbering
  progressive
• is numbering
  progressive
• have been numbering
  perfect progressive
• has been numbering
  perfect progressive

Past

• numbered
  simple
• had numbered
  perfect
• was numbering
  progressive
• were numbering
  progressive
• had been numbering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will number
  simple
• will have numbered
  perfect
• will be numbering
  progressive
• will have been numbering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of number

First recorded in 1250–1300; 1940–45 number for def. 20; Middle English noun nombre, nomber, number, from Old French nombre, numbre, from Latin numerus; verb derivative of the noun

Explanation

When you consider any amount or measurement, you use a number, like 1, 2, 3, 75, or 998,837,211. This math-y word has many uses. Playing the numbers is an illegal form of gambling, and number crunchers are accountants. If you're looking out for number one, you're thinking of yourself. When you number something, you're counting it. A number is a song in a musical or concert. If someone "has your number," they know you well. Getting someone's number also means getting their phone number. If your days are numbered, it means you know you're going to die soon.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

number numbers numbered numbering

Osorio was on the radar of AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Salzburg and a number of other English and German clubs before he left Santiago for Denmark at the age of 19.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

The number of smartphones and personal computers sold this year is on track for a major decline.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Each one reduces the number of viable possibilities and helps determine where future experiments should look.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

Cruise has known the prince and princess for a number of years and also met William's mother, Princess Diana, and attended her funeral in 1997.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

“The number goes up and down. It can be as little as twenty or as big as seventy-five. It really depends,” Lou says.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

It was not only a confession but a road map, with the email addresses and phone numbers of people Kao thought agents ought to subpoena.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Citizens Advice says increasing numbers are struggling to afford everyday essentials like rent and food without support from their parents.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

Wet winters in 2023, 2024 and 2025 helped increase salmon numbers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

Their profile URLs ended in the same numbers and letters—a tell, Jones said, that they were created in bulk.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

Rue and I look at the screen together; the letters and numbers in the link are in bright blue, waiting impatiently for us to click.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

The wedding guest list numbered around 50, including Jared Kushner and other members of the Trump family.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Meta, alongside other social media apps, is under fire around the world as 2026 is shaping up to be a year of reckoning for the entire industry - perhaps our days of doomscrolling are numbered.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Jalale Getachew Birru, an analyst at ACLED, estimates that in early 2024, Tigrayan forces numbered around 270,000 soldiers.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

The details of the bodies are documented and the graves numbered so that family members can return and reclaim them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

They weren’t anything special—the kind with ruled lines and the twisted wire holding the edge—and each of them was numbered.

From "The River" by Gary Paulsen

Bumblebees, by comparison, build nests underground in soil or leaf litter, and their colonies are much smaller, usually numbering between 50 and 500 individuals.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 7, 2026

Cepeda was central to Petro’s signature plan, Total Peace, designed to de-escalate conflict with the country’s hybrid groups that are part insurgencies, part drug gangs, each numbering thousands of fighters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026

As for those not traveling by car or plane, a group numbering 2.22 million, many will be taking buses, trains, or cruises.

From Barron's ● May 17, 2026

"People are already familiar with the current SPF numbering system and it's used around the world. The numbers just need to be accurate."

From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026

The game for “Weevily Wheat” requires children in small groups of four, with each child numbering off 1-2-3-4.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• amount
• collection
• company
• estimate
• lot
• many
• product
• quantity
• sum
• total
• volume