| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
number (ˈnʌmbə) ![]() | |
| —n | |
| 1. | complex number imaginary number real number rational number irrational number integer fraction transcendental number See algebraic number cardinal number See also ordinal number a concept of quantity that is or can be derived from a single unit, the sum of a collection of units, or zero. Every number occupies a unique position in a sequence, enabling it to be used in counting. It can be assigned to one or more sets that can be arranged in a hierarchical classification: every number is a complex number; a complex number is either an imaginary number or a real number, and the latter can be a rational number or an irrational number; a rational number is either an integer or a fraction, while an irrational number can be a transcendental number or an algebraic number |
| 2. | the symbol used to represent a number; numeral |
| 3. | a numeral or string of numerals used to identify a person or thing, esp in numerical order: a telephone number |
| 4. | the person or thing so identified or designated: she was number seven in the race |
| 5. | the sum or quantity of equal or similar units or things: a large number of people |
| 6. | one of a series, as of a magazine or periodical; issue |
| 7. | a. a self-contained piece of pop or jazz music |
| b. a self-contained part of an opera or other musical score, esp one for the stage | |
| 8. | a group or band of people, esp an exclusive group: he was not one of our number |
| 9. | slang a person, esp a woman: who's that nice little number? |
| 10. | informal an admired article, esp an item of clothing for a woman: that little number is by Dior |
| 11. | slang a cannabis cigarette: roll another number |
| 12. | a grammatical category for the variation in form of nouns, pronouns, and any words agreeing with them, depending on how many persons or things are referred to, esp as singular or plural in number and in some languages dual or trial |
| 13. | any number of several or many |
| 14. | military by numbers (of a drill procedure, etc) performed step by step, each move being made on the call of a number |
| 15. | slang (US) do a number on someone to manipulate or trick someone |
| 16. | informal get someone's number, have someone's number to discover someone's true character or intentions |
| 17. | in numbers in large numbers; numerously |
| 18. | informal (Brit) one's number is up one is finished; one is ruined or about to die |
| 19. | without number, beyond number of too great a quantity to be counted; innumerable |
| —vb | |
| 20. | to assign a number to |
| 21. | to add up to; total |
| 22. | (also intr) to list (items) one by one; enumerate |
| 23. | (also intr) to put or be put into a group, category, etc: they were numbered among the worst hit |
| 24. | to limit the number of: his days were numbered |
| [C13: from Old French nombre, from Latin numerus] | |
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.
number (nŭm'bər) Pronunciation Key
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number definition
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numbers
the fourth book of the Bible. The English title is a translation of the Septuagint (Greek) title referring to the numbering of the tribes of Israel in chapters 1-4.
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