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Figure Very Common

Origin: Latin suffix -ure

Figure has 20 different meanings across 2 categories:

Noun · Verb

Definitions
Noun
1

a diagram or picture illustrating textual material

"the area covered can be seen from Figure 2"

2

alternative names for the body of a human being

"Leonardo studied the human body"

"he has a strong physique"

"the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"

3

one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration

"0 and 1 are digits"

4

a model of a bodily form (especially of a person)

"he made a figure of Santa Claus"

5

a well-known or notable person

"they studied all the great names in the history of France"

"she is an important figure in modern music"

6

a combination of points and lines and planes that form a visible palpable shape

"The artist carefully arranged charcoal to create a dark figure against the pale wall, making the shadow seem almost three-dimensional."

7

an amount of money expressed numerically

"a figure of $17 was suggested"

8

the impression produced by a person

"he cut a fine figure"

"a heroic figure"

9

the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals

"the number of parameters is small"

"the figure was about a thousand"

10

language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense

"When the poet says that time is a thief, she is not literally describing someone stealing seconds but using figure to convey how quickly our youth disappears."

11

a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground

"The dark silhouette of the wolf standing against the moonlit snow instantly became the focal figure in her painting."

12

a decorative or artistic work

"the coach had a design on the doors"

13

a predetermined set of movements in dancing or skating

"she made the best score on compulsory figures"

14

A drawing or diagram conveying information.

"The engineer pointed to the circuit figure on the blueprint to explain how the power flows through the system."

In plain English: A figure is a shape made of lines and curves that you can see or draw.

"I cannot figure out how to solve this math problem without help."

Usage: Use "figure" when referring to a visual representation like a graph, chart, or schematic that illustrates data or explains a concept. Avoid using it for abstract ideas unless you are specifically describing how those ideas are visually depicted.

Verb
1

judge to be probable

"I figure it will rain later, so bring an umbrella just in case."

2

be or play a part of or in

"Elections figure prominently in every government program"

"How do the elections figure in the current pattern of internal politics?"

3

imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind

"I can't see him on horseback!"

"I can see what will happen"

"I can see a risk in this strategy"

4

make a mathematical calculation or computation

"I need to figure out how much tax I owe before filing my return."

5

understand

"He didn't figure her"

6

To calculate, to solve a mathematical problem.

"I couldn't figure out how many cookies are left after everyone took some without counting them all again."

In plain English: To figure something out means to solve a problem or understand how it works.

"I need to figure out how much the project will cost."

Usage: Use "figure" as a verb when you mean to calculate or solve a math problem, such as figuring out how much tax you owe. Avoid using it for estimating or guessing unless the calculation involves mental arithmetic rather than precise computation.

Example Sentences
"I cannot figure out how to solve this math problem without help." noun
"I need to figure out how much the project will cost." verb
"I need to figure out how much this project will cost before we start." verb
"She managed to figure the directions without looking at her phone." verb
"It took him several hours to figure why the computer wouldn't turn on." verb
Related Terms
shape doll statue circle body skating number paris doll oblongum condor hypercube hypocube colon trophonian geometrics automaton dalamalika miniaturist anthropomorph figural
Antonyms
ground
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
illustration body integer model important person shape sum impression amount rhetorical device percept decoration maneuver evaluate be imagine reason grok
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
person juvenile body adult body male body female body binary digit octal digit decimal digit duodecimal digit hexadecimal digit significant digit zero one two three four five six seven eight nine dummy figurehead figurine puppet snowman equilateral pencil plane figure solid figure subfigure parallel numerousness preponderance innumerableness majority minority fewness roundness conceit irony hyperbole kenning metaphor metonymy oxymoron personification simile synecdoche zeugma argyle bear claw damascene decal device emblem herringbone linocut mandala mihrab motif polka dot pyrograph screen saver sunburst tattoo tetraskelion triskelion weave marking figure eight spread eagle allow quantize extract process prorate miscalculate recalculate average factor add subtract multiply divide interpolate differentiate integrate survey estimate budget capitalize resolve

Origin

The word figure comes from the Latin figūra, meaning "form" or "shape," which was borrowed into Middle English via Old French. Its ultimate origin is a Proto-Indo-European root related to molding and kneading, sharing distant relatives with words like Greek for wall and Old English for dough.

Rhyming Words
ure cure lure fure kure yure eure ture pure bure sure mure dure shure viure heure azure alure coure youre
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