a. [ OE. nume, nome, prop., seized, taken, p. p. of nimen to take, AS. niman, p. p. numen. √7. See Nimble, Nomad, and cf. Benumb. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Enfeebled in, or destitute of, the power of sensation and motion; rendered torpid; benumbed; insensible; as, the fingers or limbs are numb with cold. “A stony image, cold and numb.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Producing numbness; benumbing; as, the numb, cold night. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Numbed p. pr. & vb. n. Numbing ] To make numb; to deprive of the power of sensation or motion; to render senseless or inert; to deaden; to benumb; to stupefy. [ 1913 Webster ]

For lazy winter numbs the laboring hand. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like dull narcotics, numbing pain. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Numbness. [ Obs. ] Wiseman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. nombre, F. nombre, L. numerus; akin to Gr. no`mos that which is dealt out, fr. ne`mein to deal out, distribute. See Numb, Nomad, and cf. Numerate, Numero, Numerous. ] 1. That which admits of being counted or reckoned; a unit, or an aggregate of units; a numerable aggregate or collection of individuals; an assemblage made up of distinct things expressible by figures. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A collection of many individuals; a numerous assemblage; a multitude; many. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ladies are always of great use to the party they espouse, and never fail to win over numbers. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A numeral; a word or character denoting a number; as, to put a number on a door. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Numerousness; multitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

Number itself importeth not much in armies where the people are of weak courage. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The state or quality of being numerable or countable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kindreds out of number. 2 Esdras iii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Quantity, regarded as made up of an aggregate of separate things. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. That which is regulated by count; poetic measure, as divisions of time or number of syllables; hence, poetry, verse; -- chiefly used in the plural. [ 1913 Webster ]

I lisped in numbers, for the numbers came. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Gram.) The distinction of objects, as one, or more than one (in some languages, as one, or two, or more than two), expressed (usually) by a difference in the form of a word; thus, the singular number and the plural number are the names of the forms of a word indicating the objects denoted or referred to by the word as one, or as more than one. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Math.) The measure of the relation between quantities or things of the same kind; that abstract species of quantity which is capable of being expressed by figures; numerical value. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abstract number,
Abundant number,
Cardinal number, etc. See under Abstract, Abundant, etc. --
In numbers, in numbered parts; as, a book published in numbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Numbered p. pr & vb. n. Numbering. ] [ OE. nombren, noumbren, F. nombrer, fr. L. numerare, numeratum. See Number, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To count; to reckon; to ascertain the units of; to enumerate. [ 1913 Webster ]

If a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Gen. xiii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To reckon as one of a collection or multitude. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was numbered with the transgressors. Is. liii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To give or apply a number or numbers to; to assign the place of in a series by order of number; to designate the place of by a number or numeral; as, to number the houses in a street, or the apartments in a building. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To amount; to equal in number; to contain; to consist of; as, the army numbers fifty thousand. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy tears can not number the dead. Campbell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Numbering machine, a machine for printing consecutive numbers, as on railway tickets, bank bills, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To count; enumerate; calculate; tell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who numbers. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Numerous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Innumerable; countless. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Numerous. [ Obs. ] Drant. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. pl. of Number. The fourth book of the Pentateuch, containing the census of the Hebrews. [ 1913 Webster ]