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number

Pronunciation: /ˈnʌmbə/

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Definition of number

noun

  • 1an arithmetical value, expressed by a word, symbol, or figure, representing a particular quantity and used in counting and making calculations:think of a number from one to ten and multiply it by three even numbers
  • a figure or group of figures used to identify someone or something:she picked up the phone and dialled his home number
  • (numbers) dated arithmetic:the boy was adept at numbers
  • 2a quantity or amount:the company is seeking to increase the number of women on its staff the exhibition attracted vast numbers of visitors
  • (a number of) several:we have discussed the matter on a number of occasions
  • a group or company of people:there were some distinguished names among our number
  • (numbers) a large quantity or amount, often in contrast to a smaller one; numerical preponderance:the weight of numbers turned the battle against them
  • 3chiefly British a single issue of a magazine:the October number of ‘Travel’
  • a song, dance, piece of music, etc., especially one of several in a performance:they go from one melodious number to another
  • [usually with adjective or noun modifier] informal an item of clothing of a particular type, regarded with approval or admiration:Yvonne was wearing a little black number
  • 4 [mass noun] a grammatical classification of words that consists typically of singular and plural, and, in Greek and certain other languages, dual: the form of English pronouns reflects their number and gender

verb

[with object]
  • 1amount to (a specified figure or quantity); comprise:the demonstrators numbered more than 5,000
  • 2mark with a number or assign a number to, typically to indicate position in a series:each document was numbered consecutively
  • count:strategies like ours can be numbered on the fingers of one hand
  • 3include or classify as a member of a group:the orchestra numbers Brahms among its past conductors

Phrases

any number of

any particular whole quantity of:the game can involve any number of players
a large and unlimited quantity or amount of:the results can be read any number of ways

by numbers

following simple instructions identified or as if identified by numbers:painting by numbers

someone's (or something's) days are numbered

someone or something will not survive or remain in a position of power or advantage for much longer:my days as director were numbered

do a number on

North American informal treat someone badly, typically by deceiving, humiliating, or criticizing them in a calculated way.

have someone's number

informal understand a person’s real motives or character and thereby gain some advantage.

have someone's number on it

informal (of a bomb, bullet, or other missile) destined to find a specified person as its target.

someone's number is up

informal the time has come when someone is doomed to die or suffer some other disaster or setback: though he had survived a thousand crises, he knew that this time his number was up
[with reference to a lottery number or a number by which one may be identified]

without number

too many to count:I began to write to you times without number

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French nombre (noun), nombrer (verb), from Latin numerus

The construction the number of + plural noun is used with a singular verb (as in the number of people affected remains small). Thus it is the noun number rather than the noun people which is taken to agree with the verb (and which is therefore functioning as the head noun). By contrast, the apparently similar construction a number of + plural noun is used with a plural verb (as in a number of people remain to be contacted). In this case it is the noun people which acts as the head noun and with which the verb agrees. In the latter case, a number of works as if it were a single word, such as some or several. See also lot (usage).

number in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of number in the US English dictionary

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