number - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English number, nombre, numbre, noumbre, from Anglo-Norman noumbre, Old French nombre, from Latin numerus (“number”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (“to divide”). Compare Saterland Frisian Nummer, Nuumer, West Frisian nûmer, Dutch nummer (“number”), German Nummer (“number”), Danish nummer (“number”), Swedish nummer (“number”), Icelandic númer (“number”). Replaced Middle English ȝetæl and rime, more at tell, tale and rhyme.

number (plural numbers)

  1. (countable) An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
    Zero, one, −1, 2.5, and pi are all numbers.
  2. (countable) A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer.
    Synonyms: scalar, (obsolete) rime
    The number 8 is usually made with a single stroke.
  3. (countable, mathematics) An element of one of several sets: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, and sometimes extensions such as hypercomplex numbers, etc.
    The equation e i π + 1 = 0 {\displaystyle e^{i\pi }+1=0} {\displaystyle e^{i\pi }+1=0} includes the most important numbers: 1, 0, π {\displaystyle \pi } {\displaystyle \pi }, i {\displaystyle i} {\displaystyle i}, and e {\displaystyle e} {\displaystyle e}.
  4. (Followed by a numeral; used attributively) Indicating the position of something in a list or sequence. Abbreviations: No or No., no or no. (in each case, sometimes written with a superscript "o", like Nº or №). The symbol "#" is also used in this manner.
    Horse number 5 won the race.
  5. Quantity.
    • 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
      From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. […] But viewed from high up in one of the growing number of skyscrapers in Sri Lanka’s capital, it is clear that something extraordinary is happening: China is creating a shipping hub just 200 miles from India’s southern tip.
    • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
      Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage.
      Any number of people can be reading from a given repository at a time.
  6. A sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, and various other items.
    Her passport number is C01X864TN.
  7. (countable, informal) A telephone number.
    Let's give her a call. Do you have her number handy?
    I'm definitely interested. Here's my number. Call me back anytime.
    • 2001, E. Forrest Hein, The Ruach Project,, Xulon Press, page 86:
      “[...] I wonder if you could get hold of him and have him call me here at Interior. I’m in my office, do you have my number?”
    • 2007, Lindsey Nicole Isham, No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions on Love, Lust, Dating, and Waiting, Kregel Publications, page 111:
      When I agreed to go surfing with him he said, “Great, can I have your number?” Well, I don’t give my number to guys I don’t know.
    • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
      Marsha's work number is 555-8986.
  8. (grammar) Of a word or phrase, the state of being singular, dual or plural, shown by inflection.
    Adjectives and nouns should agree in gender, number, and case.
  9. (now rare, in the plural) Poetic metres; verses, rhymes.
    • a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “The Triple Foole”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 204:
      Griefe brought to numbers cannot be ſo fierce, / For, he tames it, that fetters it in verſe.
    • 1735 January 13 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1734), [Alexander] Pope, An Epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot, London: […] J[ohn] Wright for Lawton Gilliver […], →OCLC, page 7, lines 124–125:
      As yet a Child, nor yet a Fool to Fame, / I liſp'd in Numbers, for the Numbers came.
  10. (countable) A performance; especially, a single song or song and dance routine within a larger show.
    For his second number, he sang "The Moon Shines Bright".
  11. (singular only, formal) A group of people.
    one of our number ― one of us
  1. (countable, informal) A person.
  1. (countable, informal) An outfit, particularly a stylish one.
  1. (slang, chiefly US) A marijuana cigarette, or joint; also, a quantity of marijuana bought from a dealer.
  1. (dated) An issue of a periodical publication.
    the latest number of a magazine
  2. A large amount, in contrast to a smaller amount; numerical preponderance.
  1. An activity; assignment; job, as in cushy number.

(grammar: Hyponyms of "number"):

(mathematics: Hyponyms of "number"):

abstract entity used to describe quantity

numeral

mathematics: number

used to show the rank of something in a list or sequence

quantity

sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, etc.

informal: telephone number

grammar: state of being singular, dual or plural

poetic metres; verses, rhymes.

performance

informal: item of clothing, particularly a stylish one

slang: marijuana cigarette, or quantity of marijuana

number (third-person singular simple present numbers, present participle numbering, simple past and past participle numbered)

  1. (intransitive) To total or count; to amount to.
    I don’t know how many books are in the library, but they must number in the thousands.
    • 1977, United States Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Crime, Federal Role in Criminal Justice and Crime Research, page 107:
      Do they number in the hundreds, do they number in the thousands? Do they number in the tens of thousand?
  2. (transitive, passive voice) To limit to a certain number; to reckon (as by fate) to be few in number.
    The old man knew that his days were numbered.
    • 1867, The Days of England Not “numbered”: Reply to Sir Archibald Alison, page 1:
      THE DAYS OF ENGLAND NOT “NUMBERED.” REPLY TO SIR ARCHIBALD ALISON.
    • 2018 February 6, Dan Bouk, How Our Days Became Numbered: Risk and the Rise of the Statistical Individual, University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 209:
      To conclude this book, we will let Lange’s photo and its three layers guide us. Each layer invites us to explore a different answer to this book's title question—how did our days become numbered?
  3. (transitive, literary or archaic) To count; to determine the quantity of.
    The king ordered that all his subjects be numbered.
    Who can number all the stars and who can count the desert sands?
    • 1610, The Bible: That Is, the Holy Scriptures Contained in the Olde and New Testament, Numbers 1:3:
      From twentie yeare old and above, all that go forth to the warre in Iſrael, thou and Aaron ſhall number them, throughout their armies.
  4. (transitive) To label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).
    Number the baskets so that we can find them easily.
    • 1964, Education U.S. Department of Health (and Welfare), United States. Public Health Service, Public Health Service Numbered Publications: Supplement:
      “Public Health Service Numbered Publications – A Catalog, 1950-1962” and contains those numbered publications issued during the period 1963-64.
    • 1972, United States. National Archives and Records Service, Miscellaneous Numbered Records (the Manuscript File) in the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, 1775-1790's, page 3:
      Most of the remaining records in the War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records were designated "miscellaneous" records, consecutively numbered, and placed in a fourth large series of records that came to be known as […]
    • 2022 September 4, Francis Lynde, The City of Numbered Days, DigiCat:
      The remainder of the valley is laid off into cute little squares and streets, with everything named and numbered, ready to be listed in the brokers’ offices.
  5. (transitive, with off) To call out and assign a series of numbers (usually to people), either for the sake of dividing into groups or for counting.
    Shelley numbered off the group into two teams for the baseball game.
    • 1870, USA House of Representatives, House Documents, page 532:
      I counted them and numbered them off, and I found about three hundred and seventy or three hundred and seventy-five.
    • 2014 March 3, Flora Johnston, War Classics: The Remarkable Memoir of Scottish Scholar Christina Keith on the Western Front, The History Press, →ISBN:
      At my entrance, the Sergeant called them to attention, numbered them off smartly, and presented two Companies for my instruction.
  6. (transitive, with off) To enumerate or list, especially while assigning numbers to.
    • 2019 January 11, Mark G. Turner, We Both Shall Row, My Love And I, FriesenPress, →ISBN, page 367:
      I numbered them off on my fingers as I stated them. “First, I would redeem a small amount of my investment assets to pay off the cleared lot and come up with a down payment for the ten acres. Second, I would seek to obtain an open […]
  7. (transitive, usually with among) To classify or include (in a group of things)
    Alexander the Great's army numbered an elite cavalry among its ranks.
    • 1839, Saint Cyprian (Bishop of Carthage.), The Treatises of S. Caecilius Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, and Martyr, page 298:
      We fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour: how are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the Saints!
    • 1879, United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Report, page 76:
      They number among them men of intelligence and education, fitted in almost every respect to share in the responsibilities of government as well as receive a part of its benefits.
    • 1963, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Hearings, page 69:
      We certainly endorse the essential purpose of S. 708 — namely, that an applicant should not obtain a grant simply because it numbers among its stockholders a Member of Congress […]
    • 2019 August 6, Fr. Joseph Irvin, The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: Orthodox Service Books - Number 1, Lulu Press, Inc, →ISBN:
      Unite them to Your Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and number them with Your chosen flock. That with us they may glorify Your all-honorable and majestic name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever.
  8. (intransitive, usually with among) To be classified or included (in a certain group or category of things).
    Her horses number among the fastest in her country.
    • 2010 September 3, Catherine Tizard, Cat Among the Pigeons: A Memoir, Penguin Random House New Zealand Limited, →ISBN:
      They number among our best people, particularly when we realise that they are models for what the rest of us might also achieve.
    • 2020 October 1, Elizabeth Koepping, Spousal Violence Among World Christians: Silent Scandal, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:
      If they number among those who abuse their wives, they, just like abusing leaders, should stop.

to total; to amount to

to be limited to a certain number

literary: to count — see also count

label with numbers; assign numbers to

to call out and assign numbers

to classify or include (among)

to be classified or included (among)

From numb + -er.

number

  1. comparative form of numb: more numb

From German Nummer. The added -b- is analogous to kamber and klamber.

number (genitive numbri, partitive numbrit)

  1. number (the symbol representing the number, its character)
  2. number plate, licence plate, license plate
    Synonym: numbrimärk
  3. number (periodical (numbered) single issue)
    Synonym: ajalehenumber
Declension of number (ÕS type 2/õpik, no gradation)
singular plural
nominative number numbrid
accusative nom.
gen. numbri
genitive numbrite
partitive numbrit numbreid
illative numbrisse numbritessenumbreisse
inessive numbris numbritesnumbreis
elative numbrist numbritestnumbreist
allative numbrile numbritelenumbreile
adessive numbril numbritelnumbreil
ablative numbrilt numbriteltnumbreilt
translative numbriks numbriteksnumbreiks
terminative numbrini numbriteni
essive numbrina numbritena
abessive numbrita numbriteta
comitative numbriga numbritega

number

  1. Alternative form of nombre

From English number.

An analogy of the Papiamentu word nòmber "name".

number

  1. number