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Having but a little margin; having barely sufficient space, time, or number, etc.; close; near; -- with special reference to some peril or misfortune; as, a narrow shot; a narrow escape; a narrow majority. Dryden.

A great number; a great deal; -- by way of emphasis; as, a nation of herbs. Sterne. Five nations. See under Five. -- Law of nations. See International law, under International, and Law.

in, or referred to, some system, in which the base is 1; -- said or certain functions or numbers; as, natural numbers, those commencing at 1; natural sines, cosines, etc., those taken in arcs whose radii are 1.

ral standard of living is impossible without decrease of competition by limitation of the number of births. -- Ne`o- Mal*thu"sian, Ne`o-Mal*thu"sian*ism, n.

A figure made up of a large number of straight lines or curves, which are connected at certain points and related to each other by some specified law.

The number greater than eight by a unit; nine units or objects.

The number greater than eighteen by a unit; the sum of ten and nine; nineteen units or objects.

The sum of nine times ten; the number greater by a unit than eighty-nine; ninety units or objects.

A fore tooth of a horse. The nippers are four in number.

A number of rope-yarns wound together, used to secure a cable to the messenger.

hydrocarbon of the paraffin series, a white waxy substance, C19H40; -- so called from the number of carbon atoms in the molecule.

One of a number of persons, before the revolution of 1789, chiefly of the higher orders, appointed by the king to constitute a representative body.

Esp., the system of figures, letters, and signs used in arithmetic and algebra to express number, quantity, or operations.

Of or pertaining to the number nine.

Relating to, or dependent on, the number nine; novenary. [R.] The triple and novene division ran throughout. Milman.

Capable of being numbered or counted.

Of or pertaining to number; consisting of number or numerals. A long train of numeral progressions. Locke.

According to number; in number; numerically.

Belonging to a certain number; counting as one of a collection or body. A supernumerary canon, when he obtains a prebend, becomes a numerary canon. Ayliffe.

The act or art of numbering. Numeration is but still the adding of one unit more, and giving to the whole a new name or sign. Locke.