six

[ siks ]

noun

1. a cardinal number, five plus one.
2. a symbol for this number, as 6 or VI.
3. a set of this many persons or things.
4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with six pips.
5. Cricket. a hit in which the ball crosses the boundary line of the field without a bounce, counting six runs for the batsman. Compare boundary ( def 4 ).
6. an automobile powered by a six-cylinder engine.
7. a six-cylinder engine.
8. Slang.
   1. the area directly behind a person; back:

      Check your six—there's a hottie approaching.

   2. the area directly behind a person in motion; tail:

      The pilot had an enemy plane on his six.

adjective

1. amounting to six in number.

Six

¹

/ sis /

noun

1. Les Six
   a group of six young composers in France, who from about 1916 formed a temporary association as a result of interest in neoclassicism and in the music of Satie and the poetry of Cocteau. Its members were Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, Francis Poulenc, Georges Auric, Louis Durey, and Germaine Tailleferre

six

²

/ sɪks /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one See also number
2. a numeral, 6, VI, etc, representing this number
3. something representing, represented by, or consisting of six units, such as a playing card with six symbols on it
4. Also calledsix o'clock six hours after noon or midnight
5. Also calledsixer cricket
   1. a stroke in which the ball crosses the boundary without bouncing
   2. the six runs scored for such a stroke
6. a division of a Brownie Guide or Cub Scout pack
7. at sixes and sevens
   1. in disagreement
   2. in a state of confusion
8. knock someone for six informal.
   to upset or overwhelm someone completely; stun
9. six of one and half a dozen of the other or six and two threes
   a situation in which the alternatives are considered equivalent

determiner

1. 1. amounting to six

      six nations

   2. ( as pronoun )

      set the table for six

Word History and Origins

Origin of six¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English six, sex, Old English siex, syx, seox, sex; cognate with Dutch zes, Low German ses, German sechs, Old Norse sex, Gothic saihs, Latin sex, Greek héx Sanskrit ṣaṭ-

Word History and Origins

Origin of six¹

Old English siex; related to Old Norse sex, Gothic saihs, Old High German sehs, Latin sex, Greek hex, Sanskrit sastha

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at sixes and sevens,
   1. in disorder or confusion.
   2. in disagreement or dispute.
2. get / have someone’s six, Slang. back ¹( def 54 ).
3. watch one’s six, Slang. back ¹( def 62 ).

More idioms and phrases containing six

• at sixes and sevens
• deep six
• Joe six-pack

Example Sentences

She added that in the first six months of this year - when the Conservatives were still in office - there was an 18% increase in small boat crossings.

From BBC

Some clubs, including Nottingham Forest and Brighton - who are fifth and sixth in the table respectively - only have six matches in the final month of 2024.

From BBC

But after six weeks of trying to arrange sessions, Kelly asked for a refund which was eventually returned.

From BBC

Unlike kids in the United States, hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin have often learned how to hunt, identify edible plants and care for babies by the tender age of six or seven.

From Science Daily

The Tillers’ Foster scores six touchdowns in loss.

From Los Angeles Times