six

American  

[siks] / sɪks /

noun

1. a cardinal number, five plus one.

2. a symbol for this number, as 6 or VI.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with six pips.

5. Cricket. a hit in which the ball crosses the boundary line of the field without a bounce, counting six runs for the batsman.

6. an automobile powered by a six-cylinder engine.

7. a six-cylinder engine.

8. Slang.

   1. the area directly behind a person; back.

      Check your six—there's a hottie approaching.

   2. the area directly behind a person in motion; tail.

      The pilot had an enemy plane on his six.

---

adjective

1. amounting to six in number.

idioms

1. get / have someone’s six, back.

2. at sixes and sevens,

   1. in disorder or confusion.

   2. in disagreement or dispute.

3. watch one’s six, back.

six ¹ British  

/ sɪks /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one See also number

2. a numeral, 6, VI, etc, representing this number

3. something representing, represented by, or consisting of six units, such as a playing card with six symbols on it

4. Also called: six o'clock.  six hours after noon or midnight

5. Also called: sixer.  cricket

   1. a stroke in which the ball crosses the boundary without bouncing

   2. the six runs scored for such a stroke

6. a division of a Brownie Guide or Cub Scout pack

7. 1. in disagreement

   2. in a state of confusion

8. informal to upset or overwhelm someone completely; stun

9. a situation in which the alternatives are considered equivalent

---

determiner

1. 1. amounting to six

      six nations

   2. ( as pronoun )

      set the table for six

Six ² British  

/ sis /

noun

1. a group of six young composers in France, who from about 1916 formed a temporary association as a result of interest in neoclassicism and in the music of Satie and the poetry of Cocteau. Its members were Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, Francis Poulenc, Georges Auric, Louis Durey, and Germaine Tailleferre

---

six More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing six

• Joe six-pack
• at sixes and sevens
• deep six

---

Etymology

Origin of six

First recorded before 900; Middle English six, sex, Old English siex, syx, seox, sex; cognate with Dutch zes, Low German ses, German sechs, Old Norse sex, Gothic saihs, Latin sex, Greek héx Sanskrit ṣaṭ-

Example Sentences

On the last day of the regular season, all six tasted defeat one final time, by a whopping 127 points combined.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

McKechnie also worked with Bryant, supporting the late superstar's gruelling regime which devoted six hours each day to precise weightlifting, cardio and skills sessions.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

With growth on track, averaging more than six percent over the decade, Wadagni and Benin won the backing of international investors.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Global crude inventories have already fallen by around 190 million barrels over the past six weeks to just below 8 billion barrels.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

We ran six or eight lines across the crick.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck