I. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ adjective
: being one more than 41 in number
forty-two years
— see number table
II. pronoun, plural in construction
: 42 countable persons or things not specified but under consideration and being enumerated
forty-two are here
forty-two were found
III. noun
1. : two and 40 : three times 14 : six times seven
2.
a. : 42 units or objects
a total of forty-two
b. : a group or set of 42
3. : the numerable quantity symbolized by the arabic numerals 42
4. : the 42d in a set or series ; especially : an article of clothing of the 42d size
wears a forty-two
5. : a game played with dominoes but resembling the card game pitch and having the sum of the counters equal 42