number
noun OPAL WOPAL S
/ˈnʌmbə(r)/
/ˈnʌmbər/
Idioms - 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.
Extra ExamplesTopics Maths and measurementa1- 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.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- three-digit
- 16-digit
- cardinal
- …
- calculate
- add
- add together
- …
- in round numbers
- number crunching
- (abbreviation 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.
- 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.
Extra ExamplesTopics Phones, email and the interneta1- 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.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fax
- phone
- telephone
- …
- call
- dial
- phone
- …
- be busy
- be engaged
- be unobtainable
- …
- exchange numbers
- somebody’s name and number
- 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
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
- …
- grow in
- increase in
- decrease in
- …
- go up
- grow
- increase
- …
- in number
- number of
- a decline in numbers
- a drop in numbers
- a growth in numbers
- …
- [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
- …
- grow in
- increase in
- decrease in
- …
- go up
- grow
- increase
- …
- in number
- number of
- a decline in numbers
- a drop in numbers
- a growth in numbers
- …
- [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.
- [countable] a song or dance, especially one of several in a performance
- They sang a slow romantic number.
- [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.
- [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.
word/symbol
position in series
telephone, etc.
quantity
group of people
magazine
song/dance
thing admired
grammar
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French nombre (noun), nombrer (verb), from Latin numerus.
Idioms
by numbers
- following a set of simple instructions identified by numbers
- painting by numbers
by the numbers
- (North American English) following closely the accepted rules for doing something
a cushy number
- (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.
have (got) somebody’s number
- (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
- (informal) the time has come when you will die or lose everything
numbers game
- 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
- (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
- (saying) being in a group makes you safer and makes you feel more confident
there's strength in numbers
- (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
- the combined power, strength or influence of a group
- They won the argument by sheer weight of numbers.