3 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Number \Num"ber\, n. [OE. nombre, F. nombre, L. numerus; akin to
Gr. ? that which is dealt out, fr. ? to deal out, distribute.
See {Numb}, {Nomad}, and cf. {Numerate}, {Numero},
{Numerous}.]
1. That which admits of being counted or reckoned; a unit, or
an aggregate of units; a numerable aggregate or collection
of individuals; an assemblage made up of distinct things
expressible by figures.
2. A collection of many individuals; a numerous assemblage; a
multitude; many.
Ladies are always of great use to the party they
espouse, and never fail to win over numbers.
--Addison.
3. A numeral; a word or character denoting a number; as, to
put a number on a door.
4. Numerousness; multitude.
Number itself importeth not much in armies where the
people are of weak courage. --Bacon.
5. The state or quality of being numerable or countable.
Of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds
out of number. --2 Esdras
iii. 7.
6. Quantity, regarded as made up of an aggregate of separate
things.
7. That which is regulated by count; poetic measure, as
divisions of time or number of syllables; hence, poetry,
verse; -- chiefly used in the plural.
I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came. --Pope.
8. (Gram.) The distinction of objects, as one, or more than
one (in some languages, as one, or two, or more than two),
expressed (usually) by a difference in the form of a word;
thus, the singular number and the plural number are the
names of the forms of a word indicating the objects
denoted or referred to by the word as one, or as more than
one.
9. (Math.) The measure of the relation between quantities or
things of the same kind; that abstract species of quantity
which is capable of being expressed by figures; numerical
value.
{Abstract number}, {Abundant number}, {Cardinal number}, etc.
See under {Abstract}, {Abundant}, etc.
{In numbers}, in numbered parts; as, a book published in
numbers.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Number \Num"ber\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Numbered}; p. pr & vb. n.
{Numbering}.] [OE. nombren, noumbren, F. nombrer, fr. L.
numerare, numeratum. See {Number}, n.]
1. To count; to reckon; to ascertain the units of; to
enumerate.
If a man can number the dust of the earth, then
shall thy seed also be numbered. --Gen. xiii.
16.
2. To reckon as one of a collection or multitude.
He was numbered with the transgressors. --Is. liii.
12.
3. To give or apply a number or numbers to; to assign the
place of in a series by order of number; to designate the
place of by a number or numeral; as, to number the houses
in a street, or the apartments in a building.
4. To amount; to equal in number; to contain; to consist of;
as, the army numbers fifty thousand.
Thy tears can not number the dead. --Campbell.
{Numbering machine}, a machine for printing consecutive
numbers, as on railway tickets, bank bills, etc.
Syn: To count; enumerate; calculate; tell.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
number
n 1: the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite
quantity of units or individuals; "he had a number of
chores to do"; "the number of parameters is small"; "the
figure was about a thousand" [syn: {figure}]
2: a concept of quantity derived from zero and units; "every
number has a unique position in the sequence"
3: a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer
program; "he did his act three times every evening"; "she
had a catchy little routine"; "it was one of the best
numbers he ever did" [syn: {act}, {routine}, {turn}, {bit}]
4: a numeral or string of numerals that is used for
identification; "she refused to give them her Social
Security number" [syn: {identification number}]
5: the number is used in calling a particular telephone; "he
has an unlisted number" [syn: {phone number}, {telephone
number}]
6: a symbol used to represent a number; "he learned to write
the numerals before he went to school" [syn: {numeral}]
7: one of a series published periodically; "she found an old
issue of the magazine in her dentist's waitingroom" [syn:
{issue}]
8: a select company of people; "I hope to become one of their
number before I die"
9: the grammatical category for the forms of nouns and pronouns
and verbs that are used depending on the number of
entities involved (singular or dual or plural); "in
English the subject and the verb must agree in number"
10: an item of merchandise offered for sale; "she preferred the
black nylon number"; "this sweater is an all-wool number"
11: a clothing measurement; "a number 13 shoe"
v 1: add up in number or quantity; "The bills amounted to
$2,000"; "The bill came to $2,000" [syn: {total}, {add
up}, {come}, {amount}]
2: give numbers to; "You should number the pages of the thesis"
3: enumerate; "We must number the names of the great
mathematicians" [syn: {list}]
4: put into a group; "The academy counts several Nobel Prize
winners among its members" [syn: {count}]
5: determine the number or amount of; "Can you count the books
on your shelf?"; "Count your change" [syn: {count}, {enumerate},
{numerate}]
6: place a limit on the number of [syn: {keep down}]