figure

fig|ure1 [ `fıgjər ] noun ***

▸ 1 number/amount

▸ 2 important person

▸ 3 drawing in a book

▸ 4 mathematical shape

▸ 5 person or person's shape

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count often plural an official number that has been counted or calculated:

Government figures show a continued decline in unemployment.

This year's sales figures were excellent.

The final inflation figure was 6.5% for the year.

a ) a number:

She sat and stared at the figures on the page.

single/double figures (=a number above/below 10): Inflation has reached double figures for the first time in 15 years.

b ) an amount of money:

What kind of figure are we looking at for this project?

put a figure on something: It's difficult to put an exact figure on the rebuilding work.

three/four/five/six figures: The chairman's bonus payment could well reach six figures this year.

c ) figures plural calculations that you do using numbers

2. ) count someone who is important in some way:

a prominent/key/leading figure

She was the dominant figure in British politics in the 1980s.

a ) a father/mother figure someone who is considered by others to be like a father or mother

3. ) count a drawing in a book that gives information: ILLUSTRATION, DIAGRAM:

Figure 8 illustrates changing patterns of employment over the years.

4. ) count TECHNICAL a shape in mathematics:

a five-sided figure

5. ) count used for talking about someone you do not know, when you are referring to the shape of their body:

A small figure appeared in the doorway.

a ) a picture or model of someone:

There are three figures in the foreground.

a stone figure of a man

b ) the shape of a woman's body, for example whether she is fat or thin:

How to achieve the perfect figure without dieting.

Now in her fifties, she still has a fabulous figure.

keep your figure (=stay thin): After a certain age, you have to work hard to keep your figure.

watch your figure (=be careful about what you eat so that you do not become fat): No cake for me, thanks, I have to watch my figure.

a figure of fun BRITISH

someone who is laughed at by other people

=> FINE1

figure

fig|ure 2 [ `fıgjər ] verb ***

1. ) intransitive to be an important part of something:

figure in: Marriage doesn't figure in their plans.

figure prominently: This issue will figure prominently in the next election.

2. ) intransitive or transitive INFORMAL to believe that something is true, although you do not know for certain:

figure (that): I figured that Joe would have received my letter by now.

it/that figures SPOKEN

1. ) used for saying that something seems reasonable

2. ) used for saying that you are not surprised when something bad happens to you:

It figures that I'd break my leg as soon as the ski season started.

,figure `out phrasal verb transitive

1. ) to be able to understand something or solve a problem:

We had to figure out the connection between the two events.

figure out how/what/who etc.: I couldn't figure out what the teacher was talking about.

2. ) figure someone out to understand what someone is like and why they behave in the way they do