Number vs Figure - What's the difference?
number | figure |
(countable) An abstract entity used to describe quantity.
(countable) A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer
(countable, mathematics) A member of one of several classes: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, real numbers, complex numbers, quaternions.
Indicating the position of something in a list or sequence. Abbreviations: No'' or '' (in each case, sometimes written with a superscript "o", like Nº or №). The symbol "#" is also used in this manner.
Quantity.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= * Francis Bacon
A sequence of digits and letters used to register people, automobiles, and various other items.
(countable, informal) A telephone number.
* 2001 , E. Forrest Hein, The Ruach Project, Xulon Press, page 86:
* 2007 , Lindsey Nicole Isham, No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions on Love, Lust, Dating, and Waiting, Kregel Publications, page 111:
(grammar) Of a word or phrase, the state of being singular, dual or plural, shown by inflection.
(now, rare, in the plural) Poetic metres; verses, rhymes.
* 1635 , (John Donne), The Triple Foole :
(countable) A performance; especially, a single song or song and dance routine within a larger show.
(countable, informal) A person
* 1968 , Janet Burroway, The dancer from the dance: a novel, Little, Brown, page 40:
* 1988 , Erica Jong, Serenissima, Dell, page 214:
* 2005 , Denise A. Agnew, Kate Hill & Arianna Hart, By Honor Bound, Ellora's Cave Publishing, page 207:
(countable, informal) An item of clothing, particularly a stylish one
* 2007 , Cesca Martin, Agony Angel: So You Think You've Got Problems..., Troubador Publishing Ltd, page 134:
* 2007 , Lorelei James, Running with the Devil, Samhain Publishing, Ltd, page 46:
(slang, chiefly, US) A marijuana cigarette, or joint; also, a quantity of marijuana bought form a dealer.
* 2009 , (Thomas Pynchon), Inherent Vice , Vintage 2010, page 12:
(dated) An issue of a periodical publication.
To label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items).
To total or count; to amount to.
(numb)
A drawing or diagram conveying information.
*
The representation of any form, as by drawing, painting, modelling, carving, embroidering, etc.; especially, a representation of the human body.
* Shakespeare
A person or thing representing a certain consciousness.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
, volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= The appearance or impression made by the conduct or career of a person.
* Dryden
* Blackstone
(obsolete) Distinguished appearance; magnificence; conspicuous representation; splendour; show.
* Law
A human figure, which dress or corset must fit to; the shape of a human body.
*
A numeral.
A number.
*
A shape.
* Francis Bacon
*
A visible pattern as in wood or cloth.
A dance figure, a complex dance move(w).
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5
, passage=Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness,
A figure of speech.
* Macaulay
(logic) The form of a syllogism with respect to the relative position of the middle term.
(astrology) A horoscope; the diagram of the aspects of the astrological houses.
(music) Any short succession of notes, either as melody or as a group of chords, which produce a single complete and distinct impression.
(music) A form of melody or accompaniment kept up through a strain or passage; a motif; a florid embellishment.
To solve a mathematical problem.
To come to understand.
To be reasonable.
To enter, be a part of.
(obsolete) To represent by a figure, as to form or mould; to make an image of, either palpable or ideal; also, to fashion into a determinate form; to shape.
* Prior
To embellish with design; to adorn with figures.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) To indicate by numerals.
* Dryden
To represent by a metaphor; to signify or symbolize.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) To prefigure; to foreshow.
* Shakespeare
(music) To write over or under the bass, as figures or other characters, in order to indicate the accompanying chords.
(music) To embellish.
In lang=en terms the difference between number and figure
is that number is an issue of a periodical publication while figure is to embellish.In transitive terms the difference between number and figure
is that number is to label (items) with numbers; to assign numbers to (items) while figure is to enter, be a part of.In intransitive terms the difference between number and figure
is that number is to total or count; to amount to while figure is to be reasonable.As an adjective number
is comparative of numb.number
English
Alternative forms
* (l) (obsolete)Etymology 1
(etyl) .Noun
(en noun)The new masters and commanders, passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much.
- Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage.
- “[...] I wonder if you could get hold of him and have him call me here at Interior. I’m in my office, do you have my number ?”
- When I agreed to go surfing with him he said, “Great, can I have your number'?” Well, I don’t give my ' number to guys I don’t know.
- Griefe brought to numbers cannot be so fierce, / For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse.
- I laughed. "Don't doubt that. She's a saucy little number ."
- "Signorina Jessica," says the maid, a saucy little number , "your father has gone to his prayers and demands that you come to the synagogue at once [...]"
- He had to focus on the mission, staying alive and getting out, not on the sexy number rubbing up against him.
- The trouble was I was wearing my backless glittering number from the night before underneath, so unless I could persuade the office it was National Fancy Dress Day I was doomed to sweat profusely in bottle blue.
- "I doubt the sexy number you wore earlier tonight fell from the sky."
- Back at his place again, Doc rolled a number , put on a late movie, found an old T-shirt, and sat tearing it up into short strips
- the latest number of a magazine
Synonyms
* (mathematical number) scalarHyponyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* abundant number * algebraic number * binary number * cardinal number * complex number * decimal number * deficient number * do a number on * have someone's number * hexadecimal number * house number * hyperreal number * hypercomplex number * imaginary number * irrational number * meandric number * natural number * nice round number * number-cruncher * number-crunching * number field * number line * number one * number two * number theory * numberless * ordinal number * opposite number * perfect number * phone number * prime number * rational number * real number * round number * serial number * surreal number * take a number * telephone number * transcendental number * transfinite number * whole number * without number * (number)See also
* (grammatical numbers) singular,? dual,? trial,? quadral,? paucal,? pluralVerb
(en verb)- Number the baskets so that we can find them easily.
- I don’t know how many books are in the library, but they must number in the thousands.
Derived terms
* number amongSee also
*Etymology 2
From numb + .Adjective
(head)figure
English
(wikipedia figure)Noun
(en noun)- a figure''' in bronze; a '''figure cut in marble
- a coin that bears the figure of an angel
Our banks are out of control, passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures .}}
- He cut a sorry figure standing there in the rain.
- I made some figure there.
- gentlemen of the best figure in the county
- that he may live in figure and indulgence
- Flowers have all exquisite figures .
- The muslin was of a pretty figure .
- to represent the imagination under the figure of a wing
- (Johnson)
- (Grove)
Derived terms
(Terms derived from the noun) * academy figure * action figure * authority figure * big figure * dark figure * cut a figure * father figure * figure dash * figure eight * figurehead * figureless * figure loom * figure of eight * figure of merit * figure of speech * figure poem * figure skating * four-figure * hate figure * hourglass figure * lay figure * Lissajous figure * mother figure * musical figure * plane figure * public figure * significant figure * snow figure * stick figure * terminal figure * text figure * three-figure * two-figureVerb
(mainly US)- I can't figure if he's telling the truth or lying.
- If love, alas! be pain I bear, / No thought can figure , and no tongue declare.
- The vaulty top of heaven / Figured quite o'er with burning meteors.
- As through a crystal glass the figured hours are seen.
- whose white vestments figure innocence
- In this the heaven figures some event.