Number meaning in English
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Definition
a number: a figure, a digit (for example 18, 264, 6784); a quantity, an amount, a sum, a total
a number of (people didn't come): several, some (people didn't come)
a (musical) number: a song, a piece of music
Examples
- "Icarus : I like numbers of every kind, but my favorite is 1,456,895."
- "I like the numbers, and I like to spend my day in my little office, typing on my little number machines."
- "Baby number 3 : I am feeling absolutely stupendous, old chap!"
- "Let's take a listen to some of our funky musical numbers."
- "I call him "Baby Number 1"."
- "Let me explain: the company is doing well, and our growing number of customers requires more attention than we are currently providing."
- "Please leave your name, number and a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
- "I will be flying on Lucky Duck Air (flight number: LUK 7453), and arriving in Hong Kong Wednesday evening at 9.45pm. My reservations, at the Shangri-La Hotel, are from Wednesday until the following Tuesday."
- "Announcement 3 : Ladies and gentlemen, train number 98756 to Paris Gare de Nord is now boarding."
- "Bruno : Woman number three."
- "You'd like my private minitel number?"
- "I've selected a number of provocative outfits for the shoot - Japanese schoolgirl, sexy nurse, dark-haired CEO of a perfume company... just to name a few."
- "Icarus : Number 19, you are small, but you're like a person, I call you "Paul"."
- "Now, let's take a look at baby number 3."
- "Number of rooms required: 1"
- "Southside Johnny has been the number two man on the Westside for years now."
- "Number nineteen, you are small, but you're like person, I call you Paul."
- "Icarus : Well perhaps we could write a song together... a song about numbers... for accountants."
- "That's my favorite number, too!"
- "Edward : Did you say that your favorite number was 1,456,895?"
Exercise 1
Mick tells Bruno about "the numbers", saying that they are "pretty decent".
Mick is probably referring to the , which he considers .
Mick is probably referring to the , which he considers .
Mick tells Bruno about "the numbers", saying that they are "pretty decent".
Mick is probably referring to the sales figures 1, which he considers adequate 2.
Mick is probably referring to the sales figures 1, which he considers adequate 2.
1 sales figures: Mick talks about the "numbers" just after he mentions the "financial report for the fall quarter", which is the best indication that he is referring to the information within the financial report. People often refer to sales figures (percentages, statistics, profit margins, operating costs, revenues, etc.) as "numbers".
1 quantity of reports: Mick tells Bruno "here is the financial report for the fall quarter". This tells us that there is only one report. Although the term "numbers" can refer to the "quantity" or "amount" of something, as in the sentence "the number of qualified candidates for the position surprised me", but Mick is not referring a quantity of reports in this case.
1 decrease in temperature: Although Mick mentions the reports for the "fall quarter" there is no reason why he would discuss the temperature with Bruno. "The fall" can refer to the season also called autumn.
1 drop in profits: Although Mick refers to the "fall" earlier in the same sentence, he is referring to the season "fall" and not to any sort of "drop off" in profits or sales.
1 quantity of employees: The term "numbers" can refer to the "quantity" or "amount" of something, as in the sentence "the number of qualified candidates for the position surprised me", but Mick is not referring a quantity of employees in this case.
2 adequate: Mick's statement that the numbers are "decent" indicates that the "sales figures" are "adequate" or "reasonable". It is true that the word "decent" can be used in many different situations and contexts, however in this dialogue "decent" expresses the adequacy of the numbers: they are not great, but not terrible either. Note that in English Mick's comment is not an "understatement", the best indication of this is Mick's pronunciation of the phrase.
2 unacceptable: "Decent" does not share a similar meaning with "unacceptable", which describes a situation which is not permissible.
2 worse than expected: Mick is not expressing that the "numbers" are "worse than expected" but rather that they are "adequate". If the figures are worse than expected, then better results were anticipated.
2 better than expected: Mick is not expressing that the "numbers" are "better than expected" but rather that they are "adequate". If the figures are better than expected, then worse, or more modest results were anticipated.
2 to be decreasing: Do not confuse the adjective "decent" with the noun "descent" (which means a fall, drop or lowering) or the verb "to descend". The two words share a similar sound, but have a different meaning.
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