number

I UK [ˈnʌmbə(r)] / US [ˈnʌmbər] noun
Word forms "number":
singular number plural numbers
***

1) [countable] a sign or word that represents an amount or quantity. 1, 2, 3 etc and "one", "two", "three" etc are numbers

Can you read the numbers on the chart?

large numbers like 250,000

2) [countable] used for showing the position of something in a series

As a tennis player, she was rated number one (= the best) in the country.

The local trains will be arriving at platform number 4.

Her flat number is 16C.

3) [countable] a telephone number

Call this number to get a taxi.

wrong number:

I must have dialled the wrong number.

4) [countable] a number that marks something in a way that separates it from everything else of its type, so that you can easily find it or discover who it belongs to

Your account number is printed on every cheque.

In order to get a job, you have to have a Social Security number.

5) [countable/uncountable] a quantity of people or things

number of:

a small number of shops

increasing numbers of drivers

This brings the total number of children to 12.

See:

amount

6) [countable] a song or piece of music, especially one that is part of a longer performance

show-stopping numbers from Broadway musicals

7) [countable] informal someone or something that is unusual or attractive

She was wearing a little black number (= dress or outfit).

8) [countable] British a copy of a magazine or newspaper

a recent number of a football magazine

back numbers (= old copies) of the Guardian

9) [uncountable] linguistics the form of a word that shows whether you are referring to one thing or more than one thing

If the subject is plural, the verb has to be in the plural number.

•

have (got) someone's number — informal to understand someone or realize the true purpose of their actions

I've got your number – don't think you can fool me.

one/some of someone's number — formal one or several of the people in a particular group

Some of our number have had doubts about this.

without/beyond number — literary too many to be counted

Filling the sky, there were birds beyond number.

(quite) a number of something — used for giving a general idea of how many people or things you are referring to

A number of students (= more than a few, but not many) have part-time jobs.

We've met on a number of occasions.

Quite a number of paintings (= many paintings) have been sold.

- any number of something

- by the numbers

- do a number on

- even number

- someone's number is up

- odd number

- round number

II UK [ˈnʌmbə(r)] / US [ˈnʌmbər] verb [transitive]
Word forms "number":
present tense I/you/we/they number he/she/it numbers present participle numbering past tense numbered past participle numbered
*

1) to give a number to something or to each thing that is part of a set

Number each page in the upper right-hand corner.

The seats in the balcony are numbered from 100 to 200.

2) formal to consist of a particular quantity of people or things

The crew numbered 15.

Serbs numbered only 10 per cent of the region's population.

•

someone's/something's days are numbered — someone or something is not likely to continue in a particular situation or to exist much longer

His days in the team are probably numbered.

Phrasal verbs:

- number among

- number off