five

[fahyv]

noun

1. a cardinal number, four plus one.

2. a symbol for this number, as 5 or V.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with five pips.

5. Informal.,  a five-dollar bill.

   Can you give me two fives for a ten?

adjective

1. amounting to five in number.

five

/ faɪv /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one

2. a numeral, 5, V, etc, representing this number

3. the amount or quantity that is one greater than four

4. something representing, represented by, or consisting of five units, such as a playing card with five symbols on it

determiner

1. 1. amounting to five

      five minutes

      five nights

   2. ( as pronoun )

      choose any five you like

Word History and Origins

Origin of five¹

before 1000; 1925–30 five for def. 7; Middle English; Old English fīf; cognate with Dutch vijf, German fünf, Old Norse fimm, Gothic fimf, Latin quīnque, Greek pénte, Sanskrit pancha

Word History and Origins

Origin of five¹

Old English fīf ; related to Old Norse fimm , Gothic fimf , Old High German finf , Latin quinque , Greek pente , Sanskrit pañca

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take five, to take a brief respite.

see take five.

Example Sentences

An Orange County woman faces five felony charges after she was accused of paw-litical fraud by registering her dog to vote and illegally casting ballots for the pooch in two elections, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times

Soon, he's five minutes away and things are tense.

From BBC

Carpenter worked with Bompastor during three of the Frenchwoman's five years at Lyon so they knew each other well before she arrived in London.

From BBC

"I just had like the five stages of grief, you know?" she said.

From BBC

On day four, the boys –- along with five adults -–were heading up from their campsite near Long Lake when they came upon Montgomery.

From Los Angeles Times