1 [count] : a word or symbol (such as “five” or “16”) that represents a specific amount or quantity
▪ the number seven ▪ He wrote down two numbers [=numerals]: 3 and 9. ▪ the numbers and letters on a license plate ▪ a three-digit number like 429 ▪ Think of a number between one and one hundred. ▪ The number 7³⁄₄ is greater than the number 7.25. ▪ 2, 4, 6, and 8 are even numbers; 1, 3, 5, and 7 are odd numbers. ▪ Let's say I have $100 to spend—that's a nice, round number. [=a number that is easily multiplied, divided, etc., and especially a number that ends in zero] — see also cardinal number, ordinal number, prime number, whole number 2 [count] a : a number or a set of numbers and other symbols that is used to identify a person or thing
▪ a student's ID/identification number ▪ Never give out your credit card number to anyone over the phone. ▪ What's the account number on your electricity bill? ▪ The page numbers are on the top corner of each page. ▪ Today's winning lottery numbers are 17, 8, and 46. ▪ I'm waiting for the number 3 bus. ▪ Flight number 101 from Los Angeles to London is now boarding at Gate number 36. ▪ What's the answer to question number 6? ▪ My daughter's the pitcher, number 21. — abbr. No. or no. — see also registration number, serial number, social security number
b : a person who is identified by a number and not treated in a personal or friendly way
▪ We get to know each of our customers and make sure that they don't feel like they're just a number. ▪ a large university where the students are just numbers
c : phone number
▪ What's your work/office/daytime number? ▪ My home number is (413) 555-2917. ▪ Call our toll-free number. ▪ Did you get her number? = Did she give you her number? ▪ Well, you've got my number. Give me a call sometime. ▪ “May I speak with Sara, please?” “I'm sorry. You must have the wrong number.” — see also 800 number 3 a : the total amount of people or things [count] ▪ Fish were once plentiful in this river, but they have since declined in numbers. [=there are now fewer fish than there once were] ▪ New houses are being built in record numbers. [=more new houses are being built now than ever before] — often + of ▪ Were you surprised by the number of people who came to the party? ▪ More should be done to decrease the number of violent crimes in the city. ▪ Large numbers of people have left. [=many people have left] ▪ Serious side effects were observed in a small number of patients. [=a few patients had serious side effects] ▪ A good number of college students [=many college students] have entered the competition. ▪ There are a number of [=several] different options to choose from. ▪ Some students have already been absent on a number of occasions. ▪ The dish can be prepared in any number of ways. [=many different ways] ▪ Residents have left the city for any number of reasons. [noncount] ▪ They have declined in number. [=there are not as many of them as there were before] ▪ The protesters were few in number, but they were very loud.
b numbers [plural] : a large group of people or things
▪ There's safety/strength in numbers. [=people are safer/stronger when they are together in a group] ▪ They won the battle through sheer weight of numbers. [=they won because there were so many of them] 4 [count] a — used to indicate the position of someone or something in a numbered list or series ▪ You're number 7 on the waiting list. ▪ Now serving number 28. — abbr. No. or no.
b : the version of a magazine, newspaper, etc., that is published at a particular time
▪ The article is in volume 36, number 2 of this journal. ▪ (Brit) the June number [=(US) issue] of the magazine — abbr. No. or no. 5 [singular] formal : a group of people
▪ One of their number [=one of them] went missing. 6 [count] : a song or dance that is usually performed as part of a concert or performance
▪ For his final number he sang “Heartbreak Hotel.” ▪ The actors broke into a song and dance number. 7 [count] informal : someone or something that is attractive or desirable
▪ She wore a cute little black number [=a small attractive black dress] to the dance. ▪ I just bought a new car: a fast, blue number. ▪ I'm going to ask that hot number [=attractive girl or woman] over there if she'll dance with me. 8 numbers [plural] : numbers that show amounts of money that are spent, earned, or needed
▪ We won't be able to stay in business with numbers like these! ▪ I'm afraid the numbers just don't make your idea a profitable option. ▪ I don't know if we can afford it. I have to look at the numbers. ▪ I ran the numbers [=determined the amount of money to be spent, earned, etc.], and I just don't think we can afford it. ▪ When we sat down to crunch the numbers [=to calculate exactly how much money is available, needed, etc.] we realized that we couldn't afford a new car. 9 numbers [plural] chiefly US a : numbers that show how many people are listening to or watching a particular radio or television program
▪ The network looked at the show's numbers and decided to cancel it.
b : numbers that show how a person (such as an athlete) has performed in the past
▪ Her numbers [=statistics, stats] make her the team's most valuable player. ▪ I don't remember all of his numbers, but I know he made 63 home runs last year. 10 numbers [plural] US : a gambling game in which people bet on which numbers will be chosen each day
▪ playing the numbers — often used before another noun ▪ an illegal numbers game ▪ the numbers racket 11 [noncount] grammar : the quality of a word form that shows whether the word is singular or plural
▪ A verb and its subject must agree in number. [=if the subject is the singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural]