English

Adjective

number one ‎(not comparable)

1. (idiomatic) First; foremost; best, often used after its headword.

   Commuting to work is the number one reason to own a car.

   He is my enemy number one.

Translations

Noun

number one ‎(plural number ones)

1. the most important person, the one who is in charge
2. someone who is top of a ranking, who is ranked first.
   • 2011 July 3, Piers Newbury, “Wimbledon 2011: Novak Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal in final”, in BBC Sport:

     Djokovic came through 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3 to end Nadal's reign as Wimbledon champion, before overtaking the Spaniard as world number one on Monday.

3. oneself, being considered foremost, as by an egoist
   • Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

     No man should have more than two attachments—the first, to number one, and the second to the ladies; that's what I say—ha! ha!

4. (childish, euphemistic) Urine; urination.
5. (music) the single that has sold the most in a given period.
6. (soccer) The main goalkeeper of a team, so-called because they wear the number 1 on the back of their kit.
   • 2011 January 5, Jonathan Stevenson, “Arsenal 0 - 0 Man City”, in BBC:

     England number one Hart produced a magnificent moment to deny Van Persie once more just after the hour mark, leaping across his goal to fingertip the Dutchman's crashing 25-yard, top corner-bound drive away.

7. (cricket) The batsman who opens the batting.
8. Used other than as an idiom: see number,‎ one.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• number two