number
A1Universal across all registers
Definition
Meaning
A mathematical value representing a count or quantity.
A numeral or symbol representing this value; an identifying sequence used to label or distinguish items (e.g., phone number, house number); a song in a musical performance; the concept of quantity in a general sense; to count or assign a number to something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun has a high degree of polysemy, covering abstract quantity, specific symbols, and identification codes. The verb meanings include 'to count', 'to assign a number', and 'to total'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily in verb usage: 'number among' (formal) is more common in British English. In sports contexts, 'number' as a verb for a player's position (e.g., "He numbered 9 for England") is archaic in AmE. Differences in abbreviations: Brits might write 'No.' more frequently than Americans for 'number'.
Connotations
In UK English, 'number' in the context of a song (e.g., 'a musical number') can feel slightly old-fashioned or theatrical. In both varieties, 'a number of' is a common softener for 'several' or 'many'.
Frequency
As a noun, frequency is identical and extremely high. The verb is less frequent but used similarly.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NUMBER + [of + NOUN PHRASE] (a number of people)VERB + NUMBER (dial this number)NUMBER + VERB (The number is increasing)to number among (He numbers among the best)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “do a number on someone”
- “have someone's number”
- “by the numbers”
- “number is up”
- “any number of”
- “safety in numbers”
- “look after number one”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to figures, statistics, account numbers, invoice numbers, performance metrics (e.g., 'The numbers look good this quarter').
Academic
Used in mathematics, statistics, and sciences to denote quantities, values, and identifiers (e.g., 'The sample number was recorded').
Everyday
Most common for counting, phone numbers, addresses, ages, prices, and in the phrase 'a number of'.
Technical
In computing: a data type; in linguistics: a grammatical category (singular/plural); in engineering: a model or serial number.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The victims of the disaster numbered in the hundreds.
- He numbers several knights among his ancestors.
- Please number the pages consecutively.
American English
- The crowd numbered over ten thousand.
- She is numbered among the greats.
- Number each item on the inventory list.
adjective
British English
- The number one priority is safety.
- He held the number two position.
American English
- She's the number one contender.
- Check the number four cylinder.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My phone number is 555-1234.
- I have a number of friends here.
- What is your favourite number?
- The number of students in the class has increased.
- Could you give me your reference number, please?
- A large number of people voted in the election.
- The report contains a surprising number of inaccuracies.
- She numbers her successes more than her failures.
- His latest single reached number five in the charts.
- The participants were numbered sequentially to ensure anonymity.
- He numbers among the few who have achieved such a feat.
- The sheer number of variables complicates the analysis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
NUMBer helps you NUMB-er things; it makes a list feel numb and settled because you've counted it.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS A NUMBER (e.g., 'She has talent in numbers'), IDENTITY IS A NUMBER (e.g., 'He's just a number to the system'), IMPORTANCE IS A RANK (e.g., 'Our priority is number one').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing 'number' (количество, номер) with 'figure' (цифра, фигура).
- Using 'numbers' for 'numerals' or 'digits'.
- Overusing 'number' as a translation for 'номер' when 'issue' (of a magazine) or 'size' (of clothes/shoes) is meant.
- Misinterpreting 'a number of' as a precise figure instead of an indefinite quantity (несколько).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect article: 'She dialed wrong number' (missing 'the/a').
- Subject-verb agreement with 'a number of': 'A number of people is' (should be 'are').
- Confusing 'less' with 'fewer' before 'number' (e.g., 'less number' is incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'nomber' or 'nummer'.
- Using 'number' as a verb incorrectly: 'I will number the items on the list' (correct) vs. 'I number 10 apples' (incorrect for simple counting).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'number' used as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends. 'The number' (as a subject) is singular: 'The number is rising.' 'A number of' (meaning 'several') is plural: 'A number of people are waiting.'
Use 'number' for countable nouns (a number of books). Use 'amount' for uncountable nouns (an amount of water). 'Quantity' can be used for both but is more formal or technical.
Yes, commonly for identification (bus number, license number), position in a sequence (issue number of a magazine), and performances (a song and dance number).
It means to understand someone's true character or intentions, often in a way that allows you to defeat or outsmart them.
Collections
Part of a collection
Common Questions
A1 · 31 words · Question words and phrases for basic communication.