/ ˈθaʊznd; NAmE / number ( abbr. K )
1.
1 000
HELP NOTE : You say a, one, two, etc. thousand without a final 's' on 'thousand'. Thousands (of ... ) can be used if there is no number or quantity before it. Always use a plural verb with thousand or thousands , except when an amount of money is mentioned:
Four thousand (people) are expected to attend.
Two thousand (pounds) was withdrawn from the account.
2.
a thousand or thousands (of ... ) (usually informal ) a large number :
There were thousands of people there.
3.
the thousands the numbers from 1 000 to 9 999 :
The cost ran into the thousands.
HELP NOTE : There are more examples of how to use numbers at the entry for hundred .
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IDIOMS
see bat verb
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English thūsend , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch duizend and German Tausend .