by the numbers

- 8 dictionary results

num⋅ber

[nuhm-ber]

–noun

1.	a numeral or group of numerals.

2.	the sum, total, count, or aggregate of a collection of units, or the like: A number of people were hurt in the accident. The number of homeless children in the city has risen alarmingly.

3.	a word or symbol, or a combination of words or symbols, used in counting or in noting a total.

4.	the particular numeral assigned to an object so as to designate its place in a series: house number; license number.

5.	one of a series of things distinguished by or marked with numerals.

6.	a certain collection, company, or quantity not precisely reckoned, but usually considerable or large: I've gone there a number of times.

7.	the full count of a collection or company.

8.	a collection or company.

9.	a quantity of individuals: Their number was more than 20,000.

10.

numbers,

a.	a considerable amount or quantity; many: Numbers flocked to the city to see the parade.

b.	metrical feet; verse.

c.	musical periods, measures, or groups of notes.

d.	numbers pool (def. 1).

e.	Informal. the figures representing the actual cost, expense, profit, etc.: We won't make a decision until we see the numbers.

f.	Obsolete. arithmetic.

11.	quantity as composed of units: to increase the number of eligible voters.

12.	numerical strength or superiority; complement: The garrison is not up to its full number.

13.	a tune or arrangement for singing or dancing.

14.	a single or distinct performance within a show, as a song or dance: The comic routine followed the dance number.

15.	a single part of a program made up of a group of similar parts: For her third number she played a nocturne.

16.	any of a collection of poems or songs.

17.	a distinct part of an extended musical work or one in a sequence of compositions.

18.	conformity in music or verse to regular beat or measure; rhythm.

19.	a single part of a book published in a series of parts.

20.	a single issue of a periodical: several numbers of a popular magazine.

21.	a code of numerals, letters, or a combination of these assigned to a particular telephone: Did you call the right number?

22.

Grammar. a category of noun, verb, or adjective inflection found in many languages, as English, Latin, and Arabic, used to indicate whether a word has one or more than one referent. There may be a two-way distinction in number, as between singular and plural, three-way, as between singular, dual, and plural, or more.

23.	Informal. person; individual: the attractive number standing at the bar.

24.	Informal. an article of merchandise, esp. of wearing apparel, offered for sale: Put those leather numbers in the display window.

25.	mathematics regarded as a science, a basic concept, and a mode of thought: Number is the basis of science.

–verb (used with object)

26.	to mark with or distinguish by numbers: Number each of the definitions.

27.	to amount to or comprise in number; total: The manuscript already numbers 425 pages.

28.	to consider or include in a number: I number myself among his friends.

29.	to count over one by one; tell: to number one's blessings.

30.	to mention individually or one by one; enumerate: They numbered the highlights of their trip at length.

31.	to set or fix the number of; limit in number; make few in number: The sick old man's days are numbered.

32.	to live or have lived (a number of years).

33.	to ascertain the number of; count.

34.	to apportion or divide: The players were numbered into two teams.

–verb (used without object)

35.	to make a total; reach an amount: Casualties numbered in the thousands.

36.	to be numbered or included (usually fol. by among or with): Several eminent scientists number among his friends.

37.

to count.

—Idioms

38.

by the numbers,

a.	according to standard procedure, rules, customs, etc.; orthodoxly; by the book: We're going to run things here by the numbers.

b.	together or in unison to a called-out count: calisthenics by the numbers.

39.

do a number on, Slang.

a.	to undermine, defeat, humiliate, or criticize thoroughly: The committee really did a number on the mayor's proposal.

b.	to discuss or discourse about, esp. in an entertaining way: She could do a number on anything from dentistry to the Bomb.

40.

do one's number,

a.	to give a performance; perform: It's time for you to get on stage and do your number.

b.	Slang. to behave in a predictable or customary manner: Whenever I call, he does his number about being too busy to talk.

41.	get or have someone's number, Informal. to become informed about someone's real motives, character, intentions, etc.: He was only interested in her fortune, but she got his number fast.

42.	have one's number on it, Slang. to be thought of as the instrument of fate in the death of a person: That bullet had his number on it.

43.

one's number is (was, will be) up, Slang.

a.	one is (was, will be) in serious trouble.

b.	one is (was, will be) on the point of death: Convinced that her number was up anyway, she refused to see doctors.

44.	without number, of unknown or countless number; vast: stars without number.

Origin:
1250–1300; 1940–45 for def. 23; (n.) ME, var. of nombre < OF < L numerus; (v.) ME nombren < OF nombrer < L numerāre (deriv. of numerus)

Related forms:

num⋅ber⋅a⋅ble, adjective

num⋅ber⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. digit, figure. 2. Number, sum both imply the total of two or more units. Number applies to the result of a count or estimate in which the units are considered as individuals; it is used of groups of persons or things: to have a number of items on the agenda. Sum applies to the result of addition, in which only the total is considered: a large sum of money. 20. copy, edition.

Usage note:
2. As a collective noun, number, when preceded by a, is most often treated as a plural: A number of legislators have voiced their dissent. When preceded by the, it is usually used as a singular: The number of legislators present was small. See also amount, collective noun.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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num·ber (nŭm'bər)

Mathematics
1. 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. A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects, such as negative integers and real numbers.
3. A symbol or word used to represent a number.
4. A numeral or a series of numerals used for reference or identification: his telephone number; the apartment number.
5. 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.
6. One item in a group or series considered to be in numerical order: an old number of a magazine.
7. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair.
8. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers.
9. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose" (Shakespeare).
10. Obsolete Poetic meter.
numbers Arithmetic.
1. A symbol or word used to represent a number.
2. A numeral or a series of numerals used for reference or identification: his telephone number; the apartment number.
3. 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.
4. One item in a group or series considered to be in numerical order: an old number of a magazine.
5. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair.
6. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers.
7. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose" (Shakespeare).
8. Obsolete Poetic meter.
1. 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.
2. One item in a group or series considered to be in numerical order: an old number of a magazine.
3. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair.
4. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers.
5. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose" (Shakespeare).
6. Obsolete Poetic meter.
A total; a sum: the number of feet in a mile.
An indefinite quantity of units or individuals: The crowd was small in number. A number of people complained.
numbers
1. A large quantity; a multitude: Numbers of people visited the fair.
2. Numerical superiority: The South had leaders, the North numbers.
3. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose" (Shakespeare).
4. Obsolete Poetic meter.
Grammar The indication, as by inflection, of the singularity, duality, or plurality of a linguistic form.
numbers
1. Metrical feet or lines; verses: "These numbers will I tear, and write in prose" (Shakespeare).
2. Obsolete Poetic meter.
numbers Archaic Musical periods or measures.
numbers (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Games A numbers game.
Numbers (used with a sing. verb) Abbr. Num. or Nb See Table at Bible.
One of the separate offerings in a program of music or other entertainment: The band's second number was a march.
Slang A frequently repeated, characteristic speech, argument, or performance: suspects doing their usual number—protesting innocence.
Slang A person or thing singled out for a particular characteristic: a crafty number.

v. num·bered, num·ber·ing, num·bers

v. tr.

To assign a number to.
To determine the number or amount of; count.
To total in number or amount; add up to.
To include in a group or category: He was numbered among the lost.
To mention one by one; enumerate.
To limit or restrict in number: Our days are numbered.

v. intr.

To call off numbers; count: numbering to ten.
To constitute a group or number: The applicants numbered in the thousands.

[Middle English nombre, from Old French, from Latin numerus; see nem- in Indo-European roots.]
num'ber·er n.

Usage Note: As a collective noun number may take either a singular or a plural verb. It takes a singular verb when it is preceded by the definite article the: The number of skilled workers is small. It takes a plural verb when preceded by the indefinite article a: A number of the workers are unskilled.

Cultural Dictionary

number

The grammatical category that classifies a noun, pronoun, or verb as singular or plural. Woman, it, and is are singular; women, they, and are are plural.

Slang Dictionary

number

n.
a girlor woman; a sexually attractive girl. : Who is that cute little number I saw you with?
n.
a marijuana cigarette. (Drugs.) : Shorty lit up a number just as the boss came in.
n.
any person or thing. : This is an interesting little number. You attach it to your bicycle handlebars.
n.
an act or performance; a performance specialty. : Ann did her number and left the stage.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source

Word Origin & History

number

1297, "sum, aggregate of a collection," from Anglo-Fr. noumbre, from O.Fr. nombre, from L. numerus "a number, quantity," from PIE base *nem- "to divide, distribute, allot" (related to Gk. nemein "to deal out;" see nemesis). Meaning "symbol or figure of arithmatic value" is from c.1391. The meaning "musical selection" is from vaudeville theater programs, where acts were marked by a number. The verb meaning "to count" is from 1297. Number one "oneself" is from 1704 (mock-It. form numero uno attested from 1973); the biblical Book of Numbers (c.1400, L. Numeri, Gk. Arithmoi) so called because it begins with a census of the Israelites. No., "abbreviation for 'number,' " is from It. numero. Slang number one and number two for "urinate" and "defecate" attested from 1902. Number cruncher is 1966, of machines; 1971, of persons. To get or have (someone's) number "have someone figured out" is attested from 1853. The numbers "illegal lottery" is from 1897, Amer.Eng.

Medical Dictionary

number num·ber (nŭm'bər)
n.

A symbol expressive of a certain value or of a specific quantity determined by count.
The place of any unit in a series.

Science Dictionary

number (nŭm'bər) Pronunciation Key

A member of the set of positive integers. Each number is one of a series of unique symbols, each of which has exactly one predecessor except the first symbol in the series (1), and none of which are the predecessor of more than one number.
A member of any of the further sets of mathematical objects defined in terms of such numbers, such as negative integers, real numbers, and complex numbers.

Idioms & Phrases

by the numbers

In a strict sequence, step-by-step; also, mechanically. For example, The only way to assemble this computer is to do it by the numbers, or Writing a novel is not something one can do by the numbers. This expression has nothing to do with actual numerical figures (like by the dozen) but uses numbers in the sense of a strict order or sequence.

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