# five

/ˈfaɪv/ (US) · /fˈaɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/five
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the number 5

numeral · CEFR A1

the number 5.

For teachers: the cardinal number between four and six.

- There are five people in my family.
- The survey indicates that five out of ten respondents prefer the new interface over the traditional layout.

### 2. the digit or figure

noun · CEFR A2

the written symbol 5.

For teachers: the symbol or character representing the number five.

- The house number was a large brass five on the gate.
- The child carefully traced the five on the chalkboard, making sure the top line was perfectly straight.

### 3. time

noun · CEFR A2

five o'clock.

For teachers: the point in time marking five hours past midnight or noon.

- I usually finish work at five and get home by six.
- The meeting was scheduled for five, but several participants were delayed by the heavy evening traffic.

### 4. money

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a banknote worth five dollars, pounds, or euros.

For teachers: a currency note with a denomination of five units.

- Can you change a twenty for four fives?
- He reached into his wallet and pulled out a crumpled five to pay for the coffee and croissant.

### 5. a short break

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a short rest, usually for five minutes.

For teachers: a brief interval of rest from an activity, conventionally five minutes in duration.

- Let's take five before we start the next chapter.
- The director told the exhausted cast to take five while the stagehands adjusted the lighting rig for the final scene.

Usage: Commonly used in the phrase 'take five'.

## Examples

- I have five apples in my bag.
- The office closes at five o'clock every evening so the staff can go home to their families.
- The research team divided the participants into five distinct groups to test how different environmental factors influenced their overall productivity levels.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.