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   Fig·ure

   /ˈfiɡyər/

   

   noun

   • 1. a number, especially one which forms part of official statistics or relates to the financial performance of a company: "official census figures" Similar statisticnumberintegerquantityamountleveltotalsumdatainformationparticulars
   • ▪ a numerical symbol, especially any of the ten in Arabic notation: "the figure 7" Similar digitnumeralnumerical symbolcharacterrare:cipher
   • ▪ one of a specified number of digits making up a larger number, used to give a rough idea of the order of magnitude: "their market price runs into five figures"
   • ▪ an amount of money: "a figure of two thousand dollars" Similar pricecostamountquantityvaluevaluationquotationquoteratetotalsumaggregateinformal, humorous:damage
   • ▪ arithmetical calculations: "she has no head for figures" Similar arithmeticmathematicssumscalculationsreckoningcomputationnumbersstatisticscountinginformal:mathsmath
   • 2. a person's bodily shape, especially that of a woman and when considered to be attractive: "she had always been so proud of her figure" Similar physiquebuildframebodyproportionstorsoshapeformstatureinformal:vital statisticschassisbod
   • ▪ a person seen indistinctly, especially at a distance: "a backpacked figure appeared in the distance" Similar silhouetteoutlineshapeformprofileshadow
   • ▪ a representation of a human or animal form in drawing or sculpture: "starkly painted figures" Similar human representationimage of a personeffigylikeness
   • 3. a person of a particular kind, especially one who is important or distinctive in some way: "Williams became something of a cult figure" Similar personpersonageindividualmanwomancharacterpersonalitypresencerepresentativeembodimentpersonificationepitomesymbolrepresentationexemplificationexemplar
   • 4. a shape which is defined by one or more lines in two dimensions (such as a circle or a triangle), or one or more surfaces in three dimensions (such as a sphere or a cuboid), either considered mathematically in geometry or used as a decorative design: "a red ground with white and blue geometric figures" Similar shapepatterndesignmotifdevicedepiction
   • ▪ a diagram or illustrative drawing, especially in a book or magazine: "figure 1 shows an ignition circuit" Similar diagramillustrationdrawingpictureplategraphicsketchchartplanmap
   • ▪ (in skating) a movement or series of movements following a prescribed pattern and often beginning and ending at the same point.
   • ▪ a pattern formed by the movements of a group of people, for example in square dancing or synchronized swimming, as part of a longer dance or display.
   • ▪ the external form or shape of something. archaic
   • 5. a short succession of notes producing a single impression.
   • 6. the form of a syllogism, classified according to the position of the middle term.

   verb

   • 1. be a significant and noticeable part of something: "the issue of nuclear policy figured prominently in the talks" Similar featureappearbe featured/mentionedbe referred toparticipateplay a partplay a rolebe conspicuoushave prominencehave a placestar
   • ▪ (of a person) play a significant role in a situation or event: "he figured largely in opposition to the bill"
   • ▪ (of a fictional character) play a part in a novel, play, or movie: "the four characters who figure in Ridley's play"
   • 2. think, consider, or expect to be the case: informal North American "for years, teachers had figured him for a dullard" Similar supposethinkbelievefancyconsiderexpecttake itsuspecthave a sneaking suspicionsenseassumedare sayconcludetake it as readpresumebe of the opiniontrustdeduceinfergathergleandivineguess
   • ▪ (of a recent event or newly discovered fact) be logical and unsurprising: "well, she supposed that figured" Similar make sensebe understandableseem reasonablestand to reasonbe to be expectedbe logicalfollowadd upstand uphold upring truebe convincingbe likely/probablego without saying
   • 3. calculate or work out (an amount or value) arithmetically: North American "my accountant figured my tax wrong" Similar calculatework outtotalsumreckoncomputeenumeratedetermineevaluatequantifyassesscountadd upput a figure ontallytotalizegaugetot uprare:cast
   • 4. represent (something) in a diagram or picture: "varieties of this Cape genus are figured from drawings made there"
   • ▪ embellish (something) with a design or pattern: "the 11th-century silken dalmatic is figured with double-headed griffins"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the senses ‘distinctive shape of a person or thing’, ‘representation of something material or immaterial’, and ‘numerical symbol’, among others): from Old French figure (noun), figurer (verb), from Latin figura ‘shape, figure, form’; related to fingere ‘form, contrive’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. figureless adjective

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • F

     4

   • I

     1

   • G

     2

   • U

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   • R

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   • E

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