From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishnumbernum·ber1 /ˈnʌmbə $ -bər/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 number [countable]HMN a word or sign that represents an exact amount or quantity → numeral, figure They wrote various numbers on a large sheet of paper. Add all the numbers together.an even number (=2,4, 6,8 etc)an odd number (=1,3, 5,7 etc)a round number (=one ending in 0) A hundred pounds is a good round number. I’m no good with numbers.2 phone [countable]HMNTCT a phone number My new number is 502–6155.somebody’s home/office/work number I gave him my home number.mobile/fax number What’s your mobile number? Sorry, you have the wrong number.3 in a set/list [countable]HMNPLACE a number used to show the position of something in an ordered set or list Answer question number 4. a number 17 bus → E number, No. 10, number one14 for recognizing somebody/something [countable]HMNB a set of numbers used to name or recognize someone or somethingmodel/account etc number What is your account number, please? Press 1 to change the printer number. Did you get the number (=registration number) of the car? → box number, PIN, serial number5 amount [countable, uncountable]AMOUNT an amount of something that can be counted syn quantitythe number of something The number of cars on our roads rose dramatically last year.a number of something We have been friends for a number of years.in number The condors have dwindled to an estimated sixty in number.• You use a singular verb after the number of: The number of people is increasing. • You use a plural verb after a number of (=several): A number of issues were discussed. 6 → numbers7 APMAPTmusic [countable] a piece of popular music that forms part of a longer performance Madonna sang several numbers from her latest album. → production number► see thesaurus at music8 magazine [countable] British EnglishTCN a copy of a magazine or newspaper printed on a particular date syn issuenumber of I was reading the latest number of ‘Surfing’. back numbers (=old copies) of ‘The Times’9 → have somebody’s number10 → black/elegant etc (little) number11 → somebody’s number comes up12 → somebody’s number is up13 → the numbers14 → by numbers15 → do a number on somebody/something16 → beyond/without number17 group of people [uncountable] formalFEW/NOT MANY a group of peopleone/two/several etc of our/their number Only three of our number could speak Italian. They wanted to choose a leader from among their own number.18 grammar [uncountable] technicalSLG the form of a word, depending on whether one thing or more than one thing is being talked about ‘Horses’ is plural in number, while ‘horse’ is singular.COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a word or sign that represents an exact amount or quantityadjectivesa lucky number (=a number you think gives you good luck)Three is my lucky number.an even number (=2,4, 6,8 etc)All even numbers can be divided by 2.an odd number (=1,3, 5,7 etc)You can’t work in pairs if you’ve got an odd number of people.a round number (=a number ending in zero)A hundred is a nice round number.a positive number (=a number that is more than zero)Maths is easier if you are dealing with positive numbers.a negative/minus number (=a number that is less than zero)Can a negative number have a square root?a prime number (=a number such as 13 that can be divided only by itself and 1)After 7, what is the next prime number?a cardinal number (=a number such as 1,2, or 3 that shows how many of something there are)Numbers go on to infinity, so there is no last cardinal number.an ordinal number (=a number such as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd that shows where something comes in a series or list)The children learn about position and ordinal numbers when they stand in a line.a whole number (=a number that is not a fraction)verbsadd numbers togetherAdd the two numbers together and divide by three.add up numbers (=add several numbers together)Write all the numbers down, then add them up.subtract one number from anotherSubtract this number from the total.multiply one number by anotherWhat happens if you multiply a positive number by a negative number?divide one number by anotherYou can’t divide a prime number by any other number, except 1. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 5: an amount of something that can be countedadjectivesa large/great numberA large number of children were running around in the playground.a vast/huge number (=very large)We’ve had a huge number of complaints.a high numberThere seems to be no reason for the high number of suicides.a considerable/substantial/significant number (=quite a large number)He received a substantial number of votes.A considerable number of students left after the first year.a good number (=quite a lot)He has written a good number of books for children.a small numberThe class had only a small number of students.a low numberthe low numbers of women involved in sports coachinga limited number (=quite small)A limited number of copies were printed.a tiny number (=very small)Only a tiny number of these animals remain in the wild.a growing/increasing numberAn increasing number of women are entering the profession.verbsincrease the number of somethingAs you improve, increase the number of times you do each exercise.reduce the number of somethingWe need to reduce the number of cars on the road.a number increases/goes up/grows/risesThe number of mobile phones has increased dramatically.a number doubles (=becomes twice as big)The number of road accidents has doubled in the last ten years.a number falls/drops/goes down/decreases/declinesThe number of new houses being built is falling steadily.a number halves (=becomes twice as small)The number of children failing at school has halved in recent years.phrasesin large/increasing/limited etc numbersBirds nest here in large numbers.any number of something (=a very large number of them)There have been any number of magazine articles about the celebrity couple.bring the number to 25,120 etcThis will bring the number of jobs lost at the company to 85.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘a big number of people/things’. Say a large number of people/things.
Examples from the Corpusnumber• Each player has a number on the back of their shirt.• Pick a number between one and ten.• Double check the account number to make sure it's right.• The rain had stopped but the mosquitoes were out in alarming numbers and there was no jeep to ride in.• I live at number 12 Liverpool Road.• Cast members performed the new dance number.• An enormous number of people wrote to complain about last night's show.• The game works best with an even number of children.• DeBuono attributes the higher number of cases in Monroe County to better hospital reporting.• The result was a large number of takeovers and mergers.• A large number of reporters had gathered outside the house.• All the doors on this side of the street have odd numbers.• Ann's phone number is 555-3234.• Take a look at question number three.• May I please have your Social Security number?• There have been several cases of tuberculosis, and the number is rising.• The regulations limit the number of students in each class.• He mentioned the number eight or nine times.• By the end of last month, the number had increased to 41. 2 percent.• However, the grammar must be able to correctly distinguish word hypotheses or the number of paths will grow exponentially.• By next year, the number of homes with either cable or satellite television is expected to be just over 10 million.• The number of cars on the roads increased by 22% last year.• The number of working days lost through strikes has continued to rise.• The number of police officers has increased enormously during the past 10 years.• "The show's not very good." "We can leave after this number if you want."• It is directly responsible for 35,000 deaths from lung cancer and twice this number from other diseases every year.• Raffle ticket number 241 wins the dinner for two at La Fiorentina.• Nell Carter also appeared and performed a couple of upbeat numbers.somebody’s home/office/work number• That's my home number.model/account etc number• The overnight clerk puts the codes and account numbers on file cards.• Once the software is loaded and the user sends his or her bank account number, writing checks takes only seconds.• Basic rule here is never give out your password or account number, not online or over the phone.• Within that you can then write what may be a third party account number.• I don't know the model number but it's the number one that they make - retails for about £850.• In his head was the account number at the Credit Bank of Zurich.• After purchasing a card from a vendor or through the mail, customers scratch off the surface to reveal their account number.the number of something• To secure equilibrium, output and the number of manufacturing firms have to increase.• As the number of people involved increases, so does the likelihood of the fraud's detection.• It will double the number of vehicles that will come into King's Cross or St. Pancras during the morning peak hours.• I, personally, have the number of days pasted up on the inside of my locker.• Tightly regulated standards for schools, including the number of minutes that are to be spent studying a subject.• Changing social values have increased the numbers of homosexual or unmarried households.• There are a lot of preventive measures that would reduce the number of severe mental problems.number of• This year the number of houses for sale went up by 20%.one/two/several etc of our/their number• Sometimes the goddess appears in the midst of the priestesses, manifesting as one of their number.• Lineage shaikhs designated one of their number to be a section shaikh, to represent them in affairs which concerned them all.• Finally one of their number stepped forward.• This is one of their number three or four guys.• Occultists also claim to cast out demons affecting or possessing one of their number, and even friends outside their magic circles.• Certainly women could tell, as men could, when one of their number was aroused.