6 N‑COUNT A number is the series of numbers that you dial when you are making a phone call. □ Sarah sat down and dialled a number. □ …a list of names and phone numbers. □ My number is 414-3925. □ 'You must have a wrong number,' she said. 'There's no one of that name here'.
7 N‑COUNT You can refer to a short piece of music, a song, or a dance as a number . □ …'Unforgettable', a number that was written and performed in 1951. □ Responsibility for the dance numbers was split between Robert Alton and the young George Balanchine.
8 VERB If someone or something is numbered among a particular group, they are believed to belong in that group. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + among ] The Leicester Swannington Railway is numbered among Britain's railway pioneers. □ [V n + among ] He numbered several Americans among his friends.
9 VERB If you number something, you mark it with a number, usually starting at 1. □ [V n] He cut his paper up into tiny squares, and he numbered each one.
10 → see also opposite number , prime number , serial number
11 PHRASE [with poss] If you say that someone's or something's days are numbered , you mean that they will not survive or be successful for much longer. □ Critics believe his days are numbered because audiences are tired of watching him.
12 PHRASE If you refer to the numbers game , the numbers racket , or the numbers , you are referring to an illegal lottery or illegal betting. [AM ]
13 → see also numbers game
14 safety in numbers → see safety
nu m|ber crunch|er (number crunchers ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you refer to number crunchers , you mean people whose jobs involve dealing with numbers or mathematical calculations, for example in finance or statistics. [INFORMAL ] □ Number crunchers were forecasting the total would hit 75,000.
nu m|ber crunch|ing N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] If you refer to number crunching , you mean activities or processes concerned with numbers or mathematical calculation, for example in finance, statistics, or computing. [INFORMAL ] □ The computer does most of the number crunching.
num|ber|less /nʌ mbə r ləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If there are numberless things, there are too many to be counted. [LITERARY ] □ …numberless acts of personal bravery by firefighters and rescue workers.
nu m|ber o ne (number ones )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Number one means better, more important, or more popular than anything else of its kind. [INFORMAL ] □ The economy is the number one issue by far. □ By the way, I'm your number-one fan.
2 N‑COUNT In popular music, the number one is the best-selling song in any one week, or the group or person who has recorded that song. [INFORMAL ] □ Paula is the only artist to achieve four number ones from a debut album.
nu m|ber plate (number plates ) also numberplate N‑COUNT A number plate is a sign on the front and back of a vehicle that shows its registration number. [BRIT ] □ He drove a Rolls-Royce with a personalised number plate. in AM, use license plate
nu m|bers game
1 N‑SING If you say that someone is playing the numbers game , you think that they are concentrating on the aspects of something which can be expressed in statistics, usually in order to mislead people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ It's a numbers game, and the odds favour the bad guys.
2 → see also number
Nu m|ber Te n N‑PROPER Number Ten is often used to refer to 10 Downing Street, London, which is the official home of the British Prime Minister. □ He called senior Unionist politicians to a meeting at Number Ten.
numb|skull /nʌ mskʌl/ (numbskulls ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a numbskull , you mean that they are very stupid. [INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ] □ How were we to know that he was a numbskull?
nu|mera|cy /njuː mərəsi, [AM ] nuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Numeracy is the ability to do arithmetic. □ Six months later John had developed literacy and numeracy skills, plus confidence.
nu|mer|al /njuː mərəl, [AM ] nuː -/ (numerals ) N‑COUNT Numerals are written symbols used to represent numbers. □ …a flat, square wristwatch with classic Roman numerals. □ …the numeral six.
nu|mer|ate /njuː mərət, [AM ] nuː -/ ADJ Someone who is numerate is able to do arithmetic. □ Your children should be literate and numerate.
nu|meri|cal /njuːme r I k ə l, [AM ] nuː -/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Numerical means expressed in numbers or relating to numbers. □ Your job is to group them by letter and put them in numerical order. ● nu|meri|cal|ly ADV □ …a numerically coded colour chart. □ Numerically, there are a lot of young people involved in crime.
nu|mer|ol|ogy /njuː mərɒ lədʒi, [AM ] nuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Numerology is the study of particular numbers, such as a person's date of birth, in the belief that they may have special significance in a person's life.
nu|mer|ous ◆◇◇ /njuː mərəs, [AM ] nuː m-/ ADJ If people or things are numerous , they exist or are present in large numbers. □ Sex crimes were just as numerous as they are today. □ Despite numerous attempts to diet, her weight soared. SYNONYMS numerous ADJ
many: Acting is a young person's profession in many ways.
severaclass="underline" I had lived two doors away from this family for several years.
a lot of: I remember a lot of things.