/
ˈfɪgə/
n.
- a number or a numerical symbol.
▸an amount of money.
▸
(figures)
arithmetical calculations.
- a person of a particular kind:
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a public figure.
▸a person seen indistinctly.
▸an artistic representation of a human or animal form.
- a person's bodily shape, especially that of a woman.
- a shape defined by one or more lines in two dimensions, or one or more surfaces in three dimensions.
▸a diagram or illustrative drawing.
▸(in skating) a movement or series of movements following a prescribed pattern.
▸a pattern formed by the movements of a group of people, for example in country dancing, as part of a longer dance or display.
▸archaic external form or shape.
- Music a short succession of notes producing a single impression.
- Logic the form of a syllogism, classified according to the position of the middle term.
v.
- be a significant part of or contributor to something.
- N. Amer. calculate arithmetically.
- informal, chiefly N. Amer. think; consider.
▸be perfectly understandable:
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she supposed that figured.
▸
(figure someone/thing out)
reach an understanding of someone or something.
-
(figure on)
N. Amer. informal expect (something) to happen or be the case.
- represent in a diagram or picture.
▸
[usu. as adj. figured]
embellish with a pattern.
Derivative
Etymology
ME: from OFr. figure (n.), figurer (v.), from L. figura ‘figure, form’; rel. to fingere ‘form, contrive’.
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