six
six
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "six" is /sɪks/.
/sɪks/
The word "six" primarily functions as a cardinal number and has very limited variations in its core meaning.
Word Form Variations
Singular: six (e.g., "I have six apples.")
Plural: six (used when referring to the number itself as a quantity, though often still treated as singular in this context, e.g., "The sixes are wild in this game.")
Note: "Sixes" can also refer to the face of a die showing six pips, or the numeral 6.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
I. Noun
Definition: The cardinal number following five and preceding seven; the sum of three plus three; represented by the Arabic numeral 6.
Synonyms: half dozen (informal), hexad (technical)
Antonyms: None (as it represents a specific quantity)
Definition: A group or set consisting of six individuals or items.
Synonyms: sextet, half dozen
Antonyms: None
II. Adjective
Definition: Being the number six in quantity; amounting to six.
Synonyms: sextuple, hexadic
Antonyms: None
III. Verb (Informal/Slang)
Definition: To dismiss or get rid of someone or something, often abruptly or decisively; to terminate. (This usage is less common and more informal, often seen in phrases like "to six someone" or "to be sixed").
Synonyms: dismiss, discard, drop, fire (informal), terminate
Antonyms: hire, keep, retain, employ
IV. Numeral (as a symbol)
Definition: The symbol or figure '6' which represents the quantity of six.
Synonyms: The digit 6
Antonyms: None
Examples of Use
Books:
"He had already done the greater part of the work of setting his house in order, and it was the same with the other tenants, who had received a six months' notice." (Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, 1878)
"It was the kind of place where a six-foot-two man might have to duck his head to enter the bathroom." (Tana French, The Likeness, 2008)
Newspapers:
"The government announced a six-point plan to tackle the rising cost of living." (The Guardian)
"Local authorities have been given six weeks to implement the new waste management guidelines." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Here are six common myths about artificial intelligence that you should stop believing." (MIT Technology Review)
"The company posted a six percent increase in quarterly profits, exceeding analyst expectations." (Bloomberg)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "I see dead people." - A line from The Sixth Sense (1999), a film whose title directly uses "six."
Television: "We've got six more seasons of this, Morty! Six more seasons!" (Rick Sanchez, Rick and Morty, "Rickmancing the Stone," July 2017)
Music: "I got six G's in my pocket, rollin' with my partners." (Lil Wayne, "6 Foot 7 Foot," 2011)
Video Games: "Player Six, your next challenge begins." (Line from Squid Game: The Game (hypothetical, as the TV series uses player numbers prominently))
General Public Discourse:
"Can you hand me the wrench that's six inches long?" (Spoken conversation)
"The meeting is scheduled for six o'clock." (Common spoken phrase)
"I need to buy a six-pack of soda for the party." (Everyday conversation)
"She scored a perfect six on her gymnastics routine." (Commentary during a sports event)
10 Quotes Using Six
"There are six mistakes mankind makes: The first is the notion that a person can be happy in having the world at his feet." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community." (Proverbs 6:16-19, The Bible)
"Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself. An artist is not a special kind of person, but each person is a special kind of artist. There are six qualities that every wise man has in common: he is not afraid of responsibility, he is able to think for himself, he is independent of mind, he can be a good listener, he possesses a good sense of humor, and he is a practical man." (William Faulkner)
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. Give a man a mask and he will tell you the truth. No good deed goes unpunished. I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best. I can resist everything except temptation. There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it. The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Six months of agony is not too much to pay for a lifetime of bliss." (Oscar Wilde, often attributed though the exact phrasing with "six" can vary)
"A gentleman is a man who can disagree without being disagreeable, one who is polite without being weak, one who is kind without being soft, and one who is respectful without being obsequious. A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out, and who values integrity above all else. A gentleman always pays his debts, and if he can, he leaves a sixpence for the next fellow." (Unknown, a common saying attributed to various sources)
"You want to know my name, don't you? Well, I am V, and I will be your guide through this journey. I am a symbol of rebellion, a whisper of freedom in a world of silence, and a sword of justice against tyranny. You can call me whatever you wish, but remember, my purpose is to make you think, to make you question, to make you defy. Remember, remember the sixteenth of September." (V for Vendetta, graphic novel by Alan Moore, often quoted from the film)
"I have no doubt that it is possible to give a child a good education in product development without any formal schooling. This is how the first six years of life should be spent, playing and exploring, not learning to read and write." (Charlotte Mason)
"My advice to you is to get married. If you find a good wife, you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. There are six kinds of men in the world: those who are good at making money, those who are good at spending money, those who are good at saving money, those who are good at giving money away, those who are good at losing money, and those who are good at all of them." (Socrates, likely an aphorism rather than a direct quote)
"You know, there are six more 'Star Wars' movies that are gonna come out. And by the time the sixth one comes out, I'll be in my late 40s. And if there is a God and he smiles on me, maybe I'll get to play a Jedi in one of them." (Hayden Christensen, during the original trilogy's release)
"If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four sharpening the axe." (Abraham Lincoln)
Etymology
The word "six" comes from a very old root in a language called Proto-Indo-European, which is like the great-grandparent of many languages spoken today, including English, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit.
That ancient root word was something like "*s(w)eks" or "*seḱs", and it already meant the number "six."
From there, it evolved into:
Proto-Germanic: "*sehs"
Old English: "siex" or "sex" (which is what it was called when English was just beginning to form)
The first known use and meaning of "six" in its current sense, referring to the quantity following five, has been consistent throughout its history, going all the way back to those earliest forms. It has always been a fundamental way to count. You can find forms of it meaning "six" in very old texts from various Indo-European languages, showing how deep its roots go.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Six
At sixes and sevens: In a state of confusion or disarray.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other: Two choices or situations are essentially the same.
Hit for six: To be utterly overwhelmed or devastated by something (common in cricket, where hitting the ball over the boundary for six runs is a powerful stroke).
To be six feet under: To be dead and buried.
Six-pack: A package of six items, typically beverages; also, a term for well-defined abdominal muscles.
Six-shooter: A revolver with six chambers for bullets.
Six-figure sum: An amount of money between 100,000 and 999,999.
Beyond the six-mile limit: Outside a specified boundary, often implying a legal or jurisdictional limit.
The six o'clock news: A common time for a television news broadcast.
Put in six inches: To make a significant, often decisive, effort or contribution (an original phrase based on the idea of a measurable, impactful action).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of six from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
