(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: The plural form is '~' after a number, or after a word or expression referring to a number, such as ‘several’ or ‘a few’.
1.
A ~ or one ~ is the number 100.
According to one official more than a ~ people have been arrested.
NUM: usu a /num NUM
2.
If you refer to ~s of things or people, you are emphasizing that there are very many of them.
Hundreds of tree species face extinction...
QUANT: QUANT of pl-n emphasis
•
You can also use ~s as a pronoun.
Hundreds have been killed in the fighting and thousands made homeless.
PRON
3.
You can use a ~ per cent or one ~ per cent to emphasize that you agree completely with something or that it is completely right or wrong. (INFORMAL)
Are you a ~ per cent sure it’s your neighbour?...
= absolutely
PHRASE: PHR adj, PHR after v emphasis