number one
C1Informal, colloquial, business, sports.
Definition
Meaning
The first in order, sequence, or rank; the most important, best, or highest-ranked person or thing.
Used to refer to oneself or one's own interests, particularly in phrases like 'look after number one'. Also used as an adjective meaning 'top-ranked' or 'most important', and informally as a euphemism for urination (especially for children).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily countable when referring to a specific rank (e.g., 'the number one seed'). Often used attributively ('the number one priority', 'a number one bestseller'). The self-interest sense is singular and fixed ('number one').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The self-interest sense ('look after number one') is equally common. The urination euphemism ('do a number one') is more typical in UK English, particularly with children, though understood in the US.
Connotations
Connotations are largely identical: positive for top rank, slightly self-centred for the personal interest sense.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both dialects, especially in media, sports, and business rankings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
BE + number oneBE + number one + in/for/of NPV + number one (e.g., 'hit number one', 'become number one')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Look after/take care of number one”
- “Public enemy number one”
- “Do a number one (informal, childish)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to market leader, top priority, or primary goal (e.g., 'Customer satisfaction is our number one').
Academic
Used in rankings and statistical data (e.g., 'the number one cause of...').
Everyday
Common in discussing favourites, priorities, and top lists (e.g., 'my number one film', 'health is number one').
Technical
Used in sports seeding, music charts, software versioning (v1.0).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The single is expected to number one in the charts this week.
- They're aiming to number one the league.
American English
- The song is set to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Her goal is to number one the rankings.
adverb
British English
- The team finished number one overall.
American English
- She is ranked number one nationally.
adjective
British English
- It's our number one concern.
- He's the number one draft pick.
American English
- Safety is the number one priority.
- She's the number one ranked tennis player.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My favourite colour is number one.
- He is number one in the race.
- This song is number one on the radio.
- Being healthy is my number one goal.
- After the scandal, the CEO became public enemy number one.
- The company has held the number one spot in the market for years.
- In this competitive industry, you have to look after number one to survive.
- The policy was criticised for prioritising economic growth as its number one objective.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a race podium: the person on the TOP step is NUMBER ONE.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE/SUCCESS IS BEING FIRST (A race metaphor). SELF IS THE CENTRAL/TOP ENTITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'номер один' for the self-interest sense; it's an idiom. 'Номер один' is used for rankings, but 'самый важный' or 'главный' is often better for 'number one priority'. The urination sense has no direct Russian equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a number one' instead of 'the number one' when referring to a specific top rank (e.g., 'She is the number one player'). Confusing 'number one' with 'first' in formal writing where 'first' is preferred.
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'look after number one', what does 'number one' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, informally, especially in music and sports contexts (e.g., 'The band hopes to number one the charts'). It is more common in journalism than formal writing.
When used as a modifier before a noun, it is often hyphenated: 'the number-one priority'. When used predicatively, it is not: 'Safety is number one'.
'First' is more general and formal, referring to order in time or sequence. 'Number one' strongly implies a ranking, competition, or status as the best or most important. In charts and sports, 'number one' is the standard term.
It can be, suggesting selfishness. However, it can also be neutral or pragmatic, acknowledging the need for self-preservation in a challenging situation.