Number

English Meaning

That which admits of being counted or reckoned; a unit, or an aggregate of units; a numerable aggregate or collection of individuals; an assemblage made up of distinct things expressible by figures.

1. Mathematics A member of the set of positive integers; one of a series of symbols of unique meaning in a fixed order that can be derived by counting.
2. Mathematics A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects, such as negative integers and real numbers.
3. Arithmetic.
4. A symbol or word used to represent a number.
5. A numeral or a series of numerals used for reference or identification: his telephone number; the apartment number.
6. A position in an ordered sequence that corresponds to one of the positive integers: the house that is number three from the corner; ranked number six in her class.
7. One item in a group or series considered to be in numerical order: an old number of a magazine.
8. A total; a sum: the number of feet in a mile.
9. An indefinite quantity of units or individuals: The crowd was small in number. A number of people complained.
10. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair.
11. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers.
12. Grammar The indication, as by inflection, of the singularity, duality, or plurality of a linguistic form.
13. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose” ( Shakespeare).
14. Obsolete Poetic meter.
15. Archaic Musical periods or measures.
16. Games A numbers game.
17. See Table at Bible.
18. One of the separate offerings in a program of music or other entertainment: The band's second number was a march.
19. Slang A frequently repeated, characteristic speech, argument, or performance: suspects doing their usual number—protesting innocence.
20. Slang A person or thing singled out for a particular characteristic: a crafty number.
21. To assign a number to.
22. To determine the number or amount of; count.
23. To total in number or amount; add up to.
24. To include in a group or category: He was numbered among the lost.
25. To mention one by one; enumerate.
26. To limit or restrict in number: Our days are numbered.
27. To call off numbers; count: numbering to ten.
28. To constitute a group or number: The applicants numbered in the thousands.
29. by the numbers In unison as numbers are called out by a leader: performing calisthenics by the numbers.
30. by the numbers In a strict, step-by-step or mechanical way.
31. do a number on Slang To defeat, abuse, or humiliate in a calculated and thorough way.
32. get To determine or know someone's real character or motives.
33. without Too many to be counted; countless: mosquitoes without number.