Tra từ figure - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

fig·ure [figure figures figured figuring] noun, verb BrE [ˈfɪɡə(r)] NAmE [ˈfɪɡjər]
noun

NUMBERS
1. countable, usually plural a number representing a particular amount, especially one given in official information
•the latest trade/sales/unemployment, etc. figures
• Viewing figures for the series have dropped dramatically.
•Figures for April show a slight improvement on previous months
• By 2009, this figure had risen to 14 million.
•The final figure looks like being much higher than predicted.
•Experts put the real figure at closer to 75%.
2. countable a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9
• Write the figure ‘7’ on the board.
•a six-figure salary (= over 100 000 pounds or dollars)
• His salary is now in six figures.
see also ↑double figures, ↑single figures
3. fig·uresplural (informal)the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc. numbers
Syn: ↑arithmetic
• Are you any good at figures?
• I'm afraid I don't have a head for figures (= I am not good at adding, etc.).

PERSON
4. countable a person of the type mentioned
•a leading figure in the music industry
•a political figure
•a figure of authority
• When she last saw him, he was a sad figure— old and tired.
•a relatively unknown figure the world of fashion
•one of the most popular figures in athletics
see also ↑father figure, ↑mother figure
5. countable the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly
•a tall figure in black
• I saw a shadowy figure approaching.

SHAPE OF BODY
6. countable the shape of the human body, especially a woman's body that is attractive
• She's always had a good figure.
• I'm watching my figure (= trying not to get fat).

IN PAINTING/STORY
7. countable a person or an animal in a drawing, painting, etc, or in a story
•The central figure in the painting is the artist's daughter.

STATUE
8. countable a statue of a person or an animal
•a bronze figure of a horse

PICTURE/DIAGRAM
9. countable (abbr.fig.)a picture, diagram, etc. in a book, that is referred to by a number
•The results are illustrated in figure 3 opposite.

GEOMETRY
10. countable a particular shape formed by lines or surfaces
•a five-sided figure
•a solid figure

MOVEMENT ON ICE
11. countable a pattern or series of movements performed on ice
•The skater executed a perfect set of figures.
more at facts and figures at ↑fact

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’.

Thesaurus:
figure noun
1. C
•the latest unemployment figures
statistics • • number • • fraction • • data • |informal stats •
a high/low/round figure/number
exact figures/numbers/statistics/data
add/multiply/subtract/divide figures/numbers/fractions
publish figures/statistics/data
Figure or statistics? In many cases you can use either word:
•official/crime/unemployment figures/statistics
Statistics can suggest a higher level of science or calculation than figures. It is usually necessary to say which figures:
•Government/Inflation figures show that…
• Statistics show that…
✗ Figures show that…
2. C
•Write the figure ‘7’ on the board.
digit • • number • • symbol • • sign • • character •
write sth in figures/numbers/symbols
a single figure/digit/symbol/character
double figures/digits
a sequence/series/set/string of figures/numbers/symbols/digits/characters
Figure or digit? Use figure for amounts of money, but digit for a series of figures to identify sth
•a deal for a seven-figure sum
• a four-digit extension number
Digit is used more than figure for matters of technology and related equipment.
3. C
•He's a leading figure in the music industry.
person • • individual • • character •
a sad figure/person/individual/character
a key/powerful/independent figure/person/individual
4. C
•I saw a shadowy figure approaching.
shape • • form • • shadow • • outline • • silhouette •
a tall figure/shape/form/shadow/silhouette
a black/dark figure/shape/shadow/outline/silhouette
make out/see a/an figure/shape/form/outline/silhouette
5. C
•She has a good figure.
body • • build • |often approving physique •
have a good, large, slim, etc. figure/body/build/physique

Collocations:
Physical appearance
A person may be described as having:
Eyes
(bright) blue/green/(dark/light) brown/hazel eyes
deep-set/sunken/bulging/protruding eyes
small/beady/sparkling/twinkling/(informal) shifty eyes
piercing/penetrating/steely eyes
bloodshot/watery/puffy eyes
bushy/thick/dark/raised/arched eyebrows
long/dark/thick/curly/false eyelashes/lashes
Face
a flat/bulbous/pointed/sharp/snub nose
a straight/a hooked/a Roman/(formal) an aquiline nose
full/thick/thin/pouty lips
dry/chapped/cracked lips
flushed/rosy/red/ruddy/pale cheeks
soft/chubby/sunken cheeks
white/perfect/crooked/protruding teeth
a large/high/broad/wide/sloping forehead
a strong/weak/pointed/double chin
a long/full/bushy/wispy/goatee beard
a long/thin/bushy/droopy/handlebar/pencil moustache/ (especially US) mustache
Hair and skin
pale/fair/olive/dark/tanned skin
dry/oily/smooth/rough/leathery/wrinkled skin
a dark/pale/light/sallow/ruddy/olive/swarthy/clear complexion
deep/fine/little/facial wrinkles
blonde/blond/fair/(light/dark) brown/(jet-)black/auburn/red/(BrE) ginger/grey hair
straight/curly/wavy/frizzy/spiky hair
thick/thin/fine/bushy/thinning hair
dyed/bleached/soft/silky/dry/greasy/shiny hair
long/short/shoulder-length/cropped hair
a bald/balding/shaved head
a receding hairline
a bald patch/spot
a side/centre/(US) center (BrE) parting/ (NAmE) part
Body
a long/short/thick/slender/(disapproving) scrawny neck
broad/narrow/sloping/rounded/hunched shoulders
a bare/broad/muscular/small/large chest
a flat/swollen/bulging stomach
a small/tiny/narrow/slim/slender/28-inch waist
big/wide/narrow/slim hips
a straight/bent/arched/broad/hairy back
thin/slender/muscular arms
big/large/small/manicured/calloused/gloved hands
long/short/fat/slender/delicate/bony fingers
long/muscular/hairy/shapely/(both informal, often disapproving) skinny/spindly legs
muscular/chubby/(informal, disapproving) flabby thighs
big/little/small/dainty/wide/narrow/bare feet
a good/a slim/a slender/an hourglass figure
be of slim/medium/average/large/athletic/stocky build

Example Bank:
•He cut a dashing figure in his uniform.
•He was a familiar figure in the local pub.
•I was never very good at figures.
•Lots of different figures were being bandied about.
•See Figure 8.
•She still had a lovely figure.
•She's kept her figure after all these years.
•The government has just released new unemployment figures.
•The industry remains in the doldrums, according to official figures out today.
•The rate of inflation has now reached double figures.
•The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over.
•These figures don't add up.
•They were visited by the unlikely figure of Bill Clinton.
•You can't put a dollar figure on the lives ruined by the hurricane.
•You need to watch your figure.
•a figure of authority/fun
•a key figure on the committee
•the central figure in the photo
•By 2004, this figure had risen to 14 million.
•Experts put the real figure at closer to 75%.
•Figure 4 represents the process of soil erosion.
•Figures for April show a slight improvement on previous months.
•He's a leading figure in the music industry.
•I'm watching my figure.
•Inflation is now in single/double figures.
•She's always had a good figure.
•She's earning a six-figure salary.
•There before him stood a tall figure in black.
•Viewing figures for the series have dropped dramatically.
•When she last saw him he was a sad figure— old and tired.
•a cult/public/political figure
Idioms: a figure of fun ▪ ↑cut a … figure ▪ ↑go figure ▪ ↑it figures ▪ ↑put a figure on something
Derived: ↑figure on doing something ▪ ↑figure on something ▪ ↑figure somebody out

verb

BE IMPORTANT
1. intransitive to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part
Syn: ↑feature
• My feelings about the matter didn't seem to figure at all.
•~ (as sth) (in/on/among sth) Do I still figure in your plans?
•The question of the peace settlement is likely to figure prominently in the talks.
•It did not figure high on her list of priorities.

THINK/DECIDE
2. transitive (informal)to think or decide that sth will happen or is true
•~ (that)… I figured (that) if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.
•We figured the sensible thing to do was to wait.
•~ sth That's what I figured.
•~ why, whether, etc… He tried to figure why she had come.

CALCULATE
3. transitive ~ sth (at sth) (NAmE)to calculate an amount or the cost of sth
• We figured the attendance at 150 000.
Verb forms:

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’.

Thesaurus:
figure verb
1. I
•Do I still figure in your plans?
appear • • feature •
figure/appear/feature as sb/sth
figure/appear/feature prominently in sth
2. T (AmE)
•First we should figure roughly how much it will cost.
estimate • • judge • • reckon • • calculate • • guess • • gauge •
figure/estimate/judge/reckon/calculate/guess that…
figure/estimate/judge/calculate/guess/gauge how much, how many, how far, etc.
figure/estimate/judge/reckon/calculate/guess/gauge sth to be sth

Example Bank:
•The issue figured prominently in our discussion.
•This man did not figure among the suspects.
•Vegetables hardly figure at all in their diet.
•I figured (that) if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning.
•I figured him to be well over 40.
•If we can figure roughly how much it will cost, we can decide what to do.
•My feelings about the matter didn't seem to figure at all.
•She tried to figure who might have made the call.
•That's exactly what I figured.
•The cost of manufacture is figured at $15 000.
•There was only one thing to do, he figured.