{
    "term": "number",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a word or symbol that represents an amount or a quantity",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Think of a number and multiply it by two."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a **high/low number**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "**even numbers** *(= 2, 4, 6, etc.)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "**odd numbers** *(= 1, 3, 5, etc.)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You owe me 27 dollars? Make it 30, that's a good **round number**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Add all the numbers together, divide by ten, and then take away twelve."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Houses on this side of the road have even numbers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Many people think 13 is an unlucky number."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the winning numbers in tonight's lottery"
                },
                {
                    "text": "That's quite a high number— think of a lower one."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "figure",
            "topics": ["Maths and measurement"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["three-digit", "16-digit", "cardinal"],
                "verb + number": ["calculate", "add", "add together"],
                "phrases": ["in round numbers", "number crunching"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used before a figure to show the position of something in a series",
            "labels": "British English also",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They live at number 26."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The song reached number 5 in the charts."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a set of figures that is used to identify something or communicate by phone, etc.",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Ask for the customer's name and **phone number**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Customers can reach us by calling **an 0800 number** *(= a free phone number in the UK)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm sorry, I think you have the **wrong number** *(= wrong phone number)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Call** this **number** and ask to speak to John."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What is your account number, please?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can I have your credit card number?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Please give your landline and mobile phone numbers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They exchanged numbers and agreed to go out for a drink one evening."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What is your social security number, please?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He dialled the number, then changed his mind and hung up."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Phones, email and the internet"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["fax", "phone", "telephone"],
                "verb + number": ["call", "dial", "phone"],
                "number + verb": ["be busy", "be engaged", "be unobtainable"],
                "phrases": ["exchange numbers", "somebody’s name and number"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a quantity of people or things",
            "sensetop": "number of somebody/somethingin number",
            "cefr": "a1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A **large number** of people have applied for the job.",
                    "contextForm": "number of somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "In a **small number** of cases the illness is fatal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **number** of homeless people has **increased** dramatically."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **total number** of students has doubled in the last six years."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Huge numbers of** *(= very many)* animals have died."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**A number of** *(= some)* problems have arisen."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I could give you **any number of** *(= a lot of)* reasons for not going."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Use a pedometer to **count the number** of steps you take."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Our aim is to **reduce the number** of road accidents."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This year we have **increased the number** of events from six to ten."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We were eight in number *(= there were eight of us)*.",
                    "contextForm": "in number"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Nurses are leaving the profession in **increasing numbers**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**Sheer weight of numbers** *(= the large number of soldiers)* secured them the victory."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The course will have to be repeated owing to pressure of numbers *(= too many students)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "staff/student numbers"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Staff numbers were reduced because of budget cuts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Anna counted the number of men standing around outside."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Conference organizers put the number of attendees at around 500."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Factories had increased in number between the wars."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Many people have died in the epidemic—the precise number is not known."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Shark numbers have dwindled as a result of hunting."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The candidates received an equal number of votes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The decline in numbers of young people means that fewer teachers will be needed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The paintings, twelve in number, are over 200 years old."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We've had a fair number of complaints about the new phone system."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "high", "low"],
                "verb + number": ["grow in", "increase in", "decrease in"],
                "number + verb": ["go up", "grow", "increase"],
                "preposition": ["in number", "number of"],
                "phrases": [
                    "a decline in numbers",
                    "a drop in numbers",
                    "a growth in numbers"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a group or quantity of people",
            "labels": "(formal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "one of our number *(= one of us)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The prime minister is elected by MPs from among their number."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["big", "high", "low"],
                "verb + number": ["grow in", "increase in", "decrease in"],
                "number + verb": ["go up", "grow", "increase"],
                "preposition": ["in number", "number of"],
                "phrases": [
                    "a decline in numbers",
                    "a drop in numbers",
                    "a growth in numbers"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "the version of a magazine, etc. published on a particular day, in a particular month, etc.",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the October number of ‘Vogue’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The back numbers of ‘The Times’ were kept in a basement."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "a song or dance, especially one of several in a performance",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They sang a slow romantic number."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a thing, such as a dress or a car, that is admired",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She was wearing a black velvet number."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "the form of a word, showing whether one or more than one person or thing is being talked about",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The word ‘men’ is plural in number."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The subject of a sentence and its verb must agree in number."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Language"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "following a set of simple instructions identified by numbers",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "painting by numbers"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "following closely the accepted rules for doing something",
            "labels": "(North American English)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "an easy job; a pleasant situation that other people would like",
            "labels": "(British English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "It’s all right for him—he’s got a very cushy number."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to do something that will harm somebody/something, especially when it feels like it is done deliberately, from a desire to hurt (even if this is not actually the case)",
            "labels": "(especially North American English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Throat cancer did a number on me a few years ago."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The Covid-19 pandemic did a number on global stock markets."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to know what somebody is really like and what they plan to do",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He thinks he can fool me but I've got his number."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the time has come when you will die or lose everything",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a way of considering an activity, etc. that considers only the number of people doing something, things achieved, etc., not with who or what they are",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "MPs were playing the numbers game as the crucial vote drew closer."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a person who does the same job as you in another organization",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The Foreign Secretary is currently having talks with his opposite number in the White House."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "being in a group makes you safer and makes you feel more confident",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "being in a group gives you more power",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There's strength in numbers, so encourage your friends and family to join us."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "the combined power, strength or influence of a group",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They won the argument by **sheer weight of numbers**."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈnʌmbə(r)/",
                "audio": "nu/number/number__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈnʌmbər/",
                "audio": "nu/number/number__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French nombre (noun), nombrer (verb), from Latin numerus."
}