INDEX:
1. a written number
2. a number used in representing a quantity
3. to write or put numbers on a set of things
RELATED WORDS
when a number reaches a particular level : ↑ REACH (2)
see also
↑ COUNT/CALCULATE
↑ AMOUNT
↑ LEVEL
↑ TOTAL
↑ INCREASE
↑ REDUCE
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1. a written number
▷ number /ˈnʌmbəʳ/ [countable noun]
a word or sign that is used to talk about an exact quantity or to show the position of something in a series :
▪ Each player has a number on the back of their shirt.
number 12/20/4 etc
▪ I live at number 12 Liverpool Road.
▪ Raffle ticket number 241 wins the dinner for two at La Fiorentina.
even number
2,4,6,8,10 etc
▪ The game works best with an even number of children.
odd number
1,3,5,7,9 etc
▪ All the doors on this side of the street have odd numbers.
phone/passport/registration/licence etc number
▪ What’s your phone number?
▪ Write your social security number in the appropriate box of the tax form.
▷ figure /ˈfɪgəʳǁˈfɪgjər/ [countable noun]
a number written as a sign, not as a word :
▪ On a cheque, write the amount in words and in figures.
double figures
more than 9 and less than 100 British
▪ Temperatures reached double figures for the first time this spring, going as high as 14 degrees.
single figures
less than 10 British
▪ The inflation rate was still in single figures. less than 10%
five-figure/six-figure etc
a number that has five, six etc figures in it
▪ The managing director earns a six-figure salary.
figure 8
a shape like the number 8
▪ The pond is shaped like a figure eight with a bridge across the middle.
▷ digit /ˈdɪdʒɪt, ˈdɪdʒət/ [countable noun]
a single number between 0 and 9, for example 1, 5, or 8 - used especially in formal or technical contexts :
▪ French telephone numbers have six digits.
▪ This calculator can display only nine digits at a time.
▪ To unlock the gate you must know the four-digit security code.
double-digit
more than 9 and less than 100) American
▪ The nation has not experienced double-digit inflation for many years.
▷ numeral /ˈnjuːm ə rəlǁˈnuː-/ [countable noun]
a sign that represents a number in a particular number system, especially a system that is no longer generally used :
Arabic/Roman/European etc numerals
▪ The European numbers 1, 2, 3 and so on, are based on Arabic numerals.
▪ The date was written in Roman numerals -- MCMLXXXII.
2. a number used in representing a quantity
▷ number /ˈnʌmbəʳ/ [singular noun]
a number of people, things etc, especially a number that has been counted for official purposes :
▪ There have been several cases of tuberculosis, and the number is rising.
number of
▪ The number of cars on the roads increased by 22% last year.
▪ The regulations limit the number of students in each class.
a large/small etc number of people/things etc
▪ An enormous number of people wrote to complain about last night’s show.
▷ figure /ˈfɪgəʳǁˈfɪgjər/ [countable noun]
a number, especially an officially supplied number, showing an amount, how much something has increased, how much it has decreased etc :
▪ Government figures published today show that unemployment is rising again.
▪ The total value of all drugs seized by the police reached a record figure of $116,000,000.
▪ Inflation in Japan is around 3%, while the German figure is now over 4%.
sales figures
▪ Retailers are reporting their November sales figures today.
▷ statistics /stəˈtɪstɪks/ [plural noun]
information about financial matters, social changes etc, which is shown in the form of numbers :
▪ Statistics show that the number of women managers has risen continuously for the last 25 years.
▪ According to the latest government statistics, 2 million people retired last year.
▷ toll /təʊl/ [countable noun usually singular]
the number of people killed or injured in accidents, by illness etc :
▪ The final toll was 83 dead and more than 100 injured.
death toll
▪ The death toll from the earthquake has risen still further in the worst disaster since 1952.
3. to write or put numbers on a set of things
▷ number /ˈnʌmbəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to write or put numbers on a set of things :
▪ We finished numbering the seats just as the audience began to arrive.
▪ The program will automatically number the pages of your reports.
▪ If you don’t number your answers, how will I know which questions they refer to?
▷ numbered /ˈnʌmbəʳd/ [adjective]
something such as a seat, a ticket, or a page that is numbered has a number written on it :
▪ The tickets are numbered, so you can find your seat quite easily.
▪ A series of numbered diagrams illustrate the results of the experiment.
numbered from one/five etc to ten/fifteen etc
▪ The squares are numbered from one to ten.