■ cardinal number ( plural ~s or (with numeral or quantifying word) ~ )
1》 ( a/one ~ ) the number equivalent to the product of ten and ten; ten more than ninety; 100. (Roman numeral: c or C .)
2》 ( ~s ) informal an unspecified large number.
3》 used to express whole hours in the twenty-four-hour system.
■ noun Brit. historical a subdivision of a county or shire, having its own court.
Phrases
a (or one ) ~ per cent entirely.
↘[usu. with negative ] informal completely fit and healthy.
↘ informal maximum effort and commitment.
Derivatives
~fold adjective & adverb
~th ordinal number .
Origin
OE, from hund '~' + a second element meaning 'number', of Gmc origin; the noun was perh. orig. equivalent to a ~ hides of land (see hide 3 ).