figure
verb/ˈfɪɡə(r)/
/ˈfɪɡjər/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they figure | /ˈfɪɡə(r)/ /ˈfɪɡjər/ |
| he / she / it figures | /ˈfɪɡəz/ /ˈfɪɡjərz/ |
| past simple figured | /ˈfɪɡəd/ /ˈfɪɡjərd/ |
| past participle figured | /ˈfɪɡəd/ /ˈfɪɡjərd/ |
| -ing form figuring | /ˈfɪɡərɪŋ/ /ˈfɪɡjərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part synonym feature
- My feelings about the matter didn't seem to figure at all.
- figure in something The question of the peace settlement is likely to figure prominently in the talks.
- Do I still figure in your plans?
- figure on something It did not figure high on her list of priorities.
- figure among somebody/something This man did not figure among the suspects.
Extra Examples- The issue figured prominently in our discussion.
- Vegetables hardly figure at all in their diet.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- largely
- prominently
- significantly
- …
- among
- in
- [transitive] (informal) to think or decide that something will happen or is true
- figure (that)… I figured (that) if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.
- We figured the sensible thing to do was to wait.
- figure something That's what I figured.
- figure why, whether, etc… He tried to figure why she had come.
- figure somebody/something for something Gary had figured Pete for a carpenter or some other construction worker.
Extra Examples- If we can figure roughly how much it will cost, we can decide what to do.
- She tried to figure who might have made the call.
- That's exactly what I figured.
- There was only one thing to do, he figured.
- I figured him to be well over 40.
- [transitive] figure something (at something) (North American English) to calculate an amount or the cost of something
- We figured the attendance at 150 000.
- The cost of manufacture is figured at $15 000.
- [transitive] figure somebody/something as something to represent somebody/something in a particular way in art or literature
- Tom Eakins was figured as a regular guy, an ordinary Joe.
- Rushdie figures death as regenerative as well as destructive.
be important
think/decide
calculate
represent
Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘distinctive shape of a person or thing’, ‘representation of something material or immaterial’, and ‘numerical symbol’, among others): from Old French figure (noun), figurer (verb), from Latin figura ‘shape, figure, form’; related to fingere ‘form, contrive’.
Idioms
See figure in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee figure in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishgo figure
- (North American English, informal) used to say that you do not understand the reason for something, or that you do not want to give an explanation for something because you think it is obvious
- In Cambridge, ‘May Balls’ are always held in June. Go figure.
it/that figures
- used to say that something was expected or seems logical
- ‘John called in sick.’ ‘That figures, he wasn't feeling well yesterday.’
- (disapproving) ‘She was late again.’ ‘Yes, that figures.’
Check pronunciation:
figure