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Definition of number noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

number

noun
 OPAL WOPAL S
 
/ˈnʌmbə(r)/
 
/ˈnʌmbər/
Idioms
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    word/symbol

  1.  
     [countable] a word or symbol that represents an amount or a quantity synonym figure
    • Think of a number and multiply it by two.
    • a high/low number
    • even numbers (= 2, 4, 6, etc.)
    • odd numbers (= 1, 3, 5, etc.)
    • You owe me 27 dollars? Make it 30, that's a good round number.
    see also atomic number, cardinal (2), complex number, flight number, magic number, mass number, ordinal, prime number, real number, registration number, R number, serial number, whole number
    Extra Examples
    • Add all the numbers together, divide by ten, and then take away twelve.
    • Houses on this side of the road have even numbers.
    • Many people think 13 is an unlucky number.
    • the winning numbers in tonight's lottery
    • That's quite a high number— think of a lower one.
    Topics Maths and measurementa1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • three-digit
    • 16-digit
    • cardinal
    • …
    verb + number
    • calculate
    • add
    • add together
    • …
    phrases
    • in round numbers
    • number crunching
    See full entry
    2.

    position in series

  2.  
     [countable]
    (abbreviation No., British English also No)
    (symbol #)
    used before a figure to show the position of something in a series
    • They live at number 26.
    • The song reached number 5 in the charts.
    3.

    phone, etc.

  3.  
     [countable] (often in compounds) a set of figures that is used to identify something or communicate by phone, etc.
    • Ask for the customer's name and phone number.
    • Customers can reach us by calling an 0800 number (= a free phone number in the UK).
    • I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number (= wrong phone number).
    • Call this number and ask to speak to John.
    • What is your account number, please?
    • Can I have your credit card number?
    • Please give your landline and mobile phone numbers.
    see also 800 number, 900 number, box number, E-number, PIN, registration number, serial number
    Extra Examples
    • They exchanged numbers and agreed to go out for a drink one evening.
    • What is your social security number, please?
    • He dialled the number, then changed his mind and hung up.
    Topics Phones, email and the interneta1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • fax
    • phone
    • telephone
    • …
    verb + number
    • call
    • dial
    • phone
    • …
    number + verb
    • be busy
    • be engaged
    • be unobtainable
    • …
    phrases
    • exchange numbers
    • somebody’s name and number
    See full entry
    4.

    quantity

  4.  
     [countable] a quantity of people or things
    • number of somebody/something A large number of people have applied for the job.
    • In a small number of cases the illness is fatal.
    • The number of homeless people has increased dramatically.
    • The total number of students has doubled in the last six years.
    • Huge numbers of (= very many) animals have died.
    • A number of (= some) problems have arisen.
    • I could give you any number of (= a lot of) reasons for not going.
    • Use a pedometer to count the number of steps you take.
    • Our aim is to reduce the number of road accidents.
    • This year we have increased the number of events from six to ten.
    • in number We were eight in number (= there were eight of us).
    • Nurses are leaving the profession in increasing numbers.
    • Sheer weight of numbers (= the large number of soldiers) secured them the victory.
    • The course will have to be repeated owing to pressure of numbers (= too many students).
    • staff/student numbers
    A plural verb is needed after a/an (large, small, etc.) number of…
    Extra Examples
    • Staff numbers were reduced because of budget cuts.
    • Anna counted the number of men standing around outside.
    • Conference organizers put the number of attendees at around 500.
    • Factories had increased in number between the wars.
    • Many people have died in the epidemic—the precise number is not known.
    • Shark numbers have dwindled as a result of hunting.
    • The candidates received an equal number of votes.
    • The decline in numbers of young people means that fewer teachers will be needed.
    • The paintings, twelve in number, are over 200 years old.
    • We've had a fair number of complaints about the new phone system.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • big
    • high
    • low
    • …
    verb + number
    • grow in
    • increase in
    • decrease in
    • …
    number + verb
    • go up
    • grow
    • increase
    • …
    preposition
    • in number
    • number of
    phrases
    • a decline in numbers
    • a drop in numbers
    • a growth in numbers
    • …
    See full entry
    5.

    group of people

  5. [singular] (formal) a group or quantity of people
    • one of our number (= one of us)
    • The prime minister is elected by MPs from among their number.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • big
    • high
    • low
    • …
    verb + number
    • grow in
    • increase in
    • decrease in
    • …
    number + verb
    • go up
    • grow
    • increase
    • …
    preposition
    • in number
    • number of
    phrases
    • a decline in numbers
    • a drop in numbers
    • a growth in numbers
    • …
    See full entry
    6.

    magazine

  6. [countable] (British English) the version of a magazine, etc. published on a particular day, in a particular month, etc. synonym issue
    • the October number of ‘Vogue’
    • The back numbers of ‘The Times’ were kept in a basement.
    7.

    song/dance

  7. [countable] a song or dance, especially one of several in a performance
    • They sang a slow romantic number.
    8.

    thing admired

  8. [singular] (informal) (following one or more adjectives) a thing, such as a dress or a car, that is admired
    • She was wearing a black velvet number.
    9.

    grammar

  9. [uncountable] the form of a word, showing whether one or more than one person or thing is being talked about
    • The word ‘men’ is plural in number.
    • The subject of a sentence and its verb must agree in number.
    Topics Languageb2
    10. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French nombre (noun), nombrer (verb), from Latin numerus.
Idioms
by numbers
  1. following a set of simple instructions identified by numbers
    • painting by numbers
by the numbers
  1. (North American English) following closely the accepted rules for doing something
a cushy number
  1. (British English) an easy job; a pleasant situation that other people would like
    • It’s all right for him—he’s got a very cushy number.
do a number on somebody/something
  1. (especially North American English, informal) to do something that will harm somebody/something, especially when it feels like it is done deliberately, from a desire to hurt (even if this is not actually the case)
    • Throat cancer did a number on me a few years ago.
    • The Covid-19 pandemic did a number on global stock markets.
have (got) somebody’s number
  1. (informal) to know what somebody is really like and what they plan to do
    • He thinks he can fool me but I've got his number.
your number is up
  1. (informal) the time has come when you will die or lose everything
numbers game
  1. a way of considering an activity, etc. that considers only the number of people doing something, things achieved, etc., not with who or what they are
    • MPs were playing the numbers game as the crucial vote drew closer.
your opposite number
  1. (informal) a person who does the same job as you in another organization
    • The Foreign Secretary is currently having talks with his opposite number in the White House.
there’s safety in numbers
  1. (saying) being in a group makes you safer and makes you feel more confident
there's strength in numbers
  1. (saying) being in a group gives you more power
    • There's strength in numbers, so encourage your friends and family to join us.
weight of numbers
  1. the combined power, strength or influence of a group
    • They won the argument by sheer weight of numbers.
See number in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee number in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: number

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
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