The AI-powered English dictionary
not comparable
(idiomatic) First; foremost; best, often used after its headword. examples
plural number ones
The most important person, the one who is in charge. examples
Someone who is top of a ranking, who is ranked first. quotations examples
The phone rings, in the middle of the night / My father yells "what you gonna do with your life" / Oh, daddy, dear, you know you're still number one / But girls, they wanna have fun / Oh, girls just wanna have...
1979, Robert Hazard (lyrics and music), “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, in She's So Unusual, performed by Cyndi Lauper, published 1983
Djokovic came through 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3 to end Nadal's reign as Wimbledon champion, before overtaking the Spaniard as world number one on Monday.
2011 July 3, Piers Newbury, “Wimbledon 2011: Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal in final”, in BBC Sport
Oneself, being considered foremost, as by an egoist. quotations examples
No man should have more than two attachments—the first, to number one, and the second to the ladies; that's what I say—ha! ha!
1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “(please specify the chapter name)”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837
(childish, euphemistic) Urine; urination. quotations examples
He might have got up, without the bell's sounding, to do his number one, or number two, in his great big white chamber-pot.
1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, Olympia Press
(music) The single that has sold the most in a given period. examples
(soccer) The main goalkeeper of a team, so-called because they wear the number 1 on the back of their kit. quotations examples
England number one Hart produced a magnificent moment to deny Van Persie once more just after the hour mark, leaping across his goal to fingertip the Dutchman's crashing 25-yard, top corner-bound drive away.
2011 January 5, Jonathan Stevenson, “Arsenal 0 - 0 Man City”, in BBC
(cricket) The batsman who opens the batting. examples
A first lieutenant. examples
(theater) A large town where theatrical performances may expect to achieve success. examples
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see number, one. examples