| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| number |
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| SYLLABICATION: | num·ber |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  n m b r |
| NOUN: | 1. Mathematics a. A member of the set of positive integers; one of a series of symbols of unique meaning in a fixed order that can be derived by counting. b. A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects, such as negative integers and real numbers. 2. numbers Arithmetic. 3a. A symbol or word used to represent a number. b. A numeral or a series of numerals used for reference or identification: his telephone number; the apartment number. 4a. A position in an ordered sequence that corresponds to one of the positive integers: the house that is number three from the corner; ranked number six in her class. b. One item in a group or series considered to be in numerical order: an old number of a magazine. 5. A total; a sum: the number of feet in a mile. 6. An indefinite quantity of units or individuals: The crowd was small in number. A number of people complained. 7. numbers a. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair. b. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers. 8. Grammar The indication, as by inflection, of the singularity, duality, or plurality of a linguistic form. 9. numbers a. Metrical feet or lines; verses: “These numbers will I tear, and write in prose” (Shakespeare). b. Obsolete Poetic meter. 10. numbers Archaic Musical periods or measures. 11. numbers (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Games A numbers game. 12. Numbers (used with a sing. verb) abbr. Num. or Nb See table at Bible. 13. One of the separate offerings in a program of music or other entertainment: The band's second number was a march. 14. Slang A frequently repeated, characteristic speech, argument, or performance: suspects doing their usual number—protesting innocence. 15. Slang A person or thing singled out for a particular characteristic: a crafty number. | | VERB: | Inflected forms: num·bered, num·ber·ing, num·bers
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To assign a number to. 2. To determine the number or amount of; count. 3. To total in number or amount; add up to. 4. To include in a group or category: He was numbered among the lost. 5. To mention one by one; enumerate. 6. To limit or restrict in number: Our days are numbered. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To call off numbers; count: numbering to ten. 2. To constitute a group or number: The applicants numbered in the thousands. | | IDIOMS: | by the numbers 1. In unison as numbers are called out by a leader: performing calisthenics by the numbers. 2. In a strict, step-by-step or mechanical way. do a number on Slang To defeat, abuse, or humiliate in a calculated and thorough way. get (or have) (someone's) number To determine or know someone's real character or motives. without (or beyond) number Too many to be counted; countless: mosquitoes without number. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English nombre, from Old French, from Latin numerus. See nem- in Appendix I. | | OTHER FORMS: | number·er —NOUN
| | USAGE NOTE: | As a collective noun number may take either a singular or a plural verb. It takes a singular verb when it is preceded by the definite article the: The number of skilled workers is small. It takes a plural verb when preceded by the indefinite article a: A number of the workers are unskilled.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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