nine /naɪn/ BrE AmE number
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: nigon ]
1 . the number 9:
He’s only been in this job for nine months.
We open at nine (=nine o'clock) .
Kay was taught by her mother till she was nine (=nine years old) .
2 . nine times out of ten almost always:
Nine times out of ten we can solve the problem over the phone.
3 . a nine days’ wonder a thing or event that makes people very excited for a short time
4 . have nine lives to make lucky escapes from dangerous situations
⇨ dressed up to the nines at ↑ dressed (4), ⇨ be on cloud nine at ↑ cloud 1 (5)