six

[siks]

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.

six

¹

/ 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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of six¹

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-

Word History and Origins

Origin of six¹

Old English siex; related to Old Norse sex, Gothic saihs, Old High German sehs, Latin sex, Greek hex, Sanskrit sastha

Idioms and Phrases

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.

More idioms and phrases containing six

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

Example Sentences

Her ideas hadn’t changed meaningfully over the last six months; her body had.

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Sides have opted to bat first in 11 of those games, with six going on to win.

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That last figure represents the total amount of “improper payments” that the inspector general’s team reckon the Social Security Administration has avoided making during the past six months.

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Stock investors can expect several seasonally bullish patterns over the next six weeks or so.

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The drag star described the show as the "most amazing experience" after collecting the sceptre from series six winner Kyran Thrax.

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