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. Compare boundary ( def 4 ).
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

/ sis /

noun

1. Les Six
   Les Sixle 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

²

/ sɪks /

noun

1. See number
   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 calledsix o'clock six hours after noon or midnight
5. Also calledsixer 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. at sixes and sevens
   at sixes and sevens
   1. in disagreement
   2. in a state of confusion
8. knock someone for six informal.
   knock someone for six to upset or overwhelm someone completely; stun
9. six of one and half a dozen of the other
   six of one and half a dozen of the othersix and two threes 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

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. at sixes and sevens,
   1. in disorder or confusion.
   2. in disagreement or dispute.
2. get / have someone’s six, Slang. back ¹( def 54 ).
3. watch one’s six, Slang. back ¹( def 62 ).

More idioms and phrases containing six

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

Example Sentences

Thirty-six percent were in favor and 38 percent were opposed.

From The Daily Beast

It was a very faithful homage to a Six Million Dollar Man episode.

From The Daily Beast

I just recently rewatched all six Star Wars movies the other day… Oh wow, from the beginning?

From The Daily Beast

After the six-week training, the forces will be deployed to confront the Islamic State, officials said.

From The Daily Beast

But the program is just six weeks long, the Pentagon admitted Monday.

From The Daily Beast

I take the Extream Bells, and set down the six Changes on them thus.

From Project Gutenberg

About this time the famous Philippine painter, Juan Luna (vide p. 195), was released after six monthsʼ imprisonment as a suspect.

From Project Gutenberg

It contains above eighty thousand houses, and about six hundred thousand inhabitants.

From Project Gutenberg

We had six field-pieces, but we only took four, harnessed wit twice the usual number of horses.

From Project Gutenberg

The Seven-score and four on the six middle Bells, the treble leading, and the tenor lying behind every change, makes good Musick.

From Project Gutenberg