six

Less common meanings

5. 5
   written digitnouncountable

   The digit or written figure 6.

   He drew the six with a long, curly tail.

   The house number ended in two sixes.

6. 6
   playing cardnouncountable

   A playing card marked with six pips.

   He led with the six of clubs.

   The six of diamonds completed her run.

   UsageNamed with of and the suit: the six of clubs. Two of them are a pair of sixes.

7. 7
   rearnounslang

   The space directly behind someone or something, especially in military situations.

   She covered his six while he moved toward the door.

   Enemy fighters appeared on our six within seconds.

   UsageUsually after a possessive: on your six, cover my six.

   Similarback, rear, tail

   Note

   Soldiers and pilots clipped this from six o'clock. Picture a clock face laid over your direction of travel: twelve is straight ahead and six is directly behind. That gives cover my six, and an enemy on your six. Bill Yenne's Aces High (2009) calls that the hardest situation for a fighter pilot to escape. It is slang, and it reads the same clock face as the time of day. Source

   Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

   • The military sense is shortened from six o'clock. en.wiktionary.org
   • Clock-face directions put twelve ahead and six behind. en.wikipedia.org
   • Bill Yenne wrote Aces High, first published in 2009. penguin.co.nz
   • Yenne describes having an enemy on one's six as the hardest situation to escape. en.wiktionary.org
8. 8
   cricketnouncountable

   In cricket, a shot in which the batsman hits the ball over the boundary without it bouncing, scoring six runs for the team.

   She smashed the final ball for six to seal the win.

   His innings included three sixes and several fours.

   UsageYou hit a six, or hit the ball for six.

   Note

   Cricket's biggest boundary score, and one that scorecards tally: her innings included seven sixes. The ball must clear the boundary on the full, without touching the ground inside the field. Ben Stokes hit one in the last over of the 2019 Cricket World Cup final, which England went on to win. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

   • A six requires a hit with the bat that reaches the boundary without first touching the ground inside the field. en.wikipedia.org
   • Ben Stokes hit a six in the final over of England's regular innings in the 2019 World Cup final. en.wikipedia.org
   • England won the 2019 Cricket World Cup final. icc-cricket.com
9. 9
   end zone scorenouncountable

   A touchdown in American football, scoring six points for the team that makes it.

   He caught the pass and took it in for six.

   Late in the third quarter, the linebacker intercepted a wobbly pass at midfield and returned it untouched for six.

   UsageUsually with for: take it in for six, return it for six. Touchdown is the standard word.

   Similartouchdown

   Note

   Gridiron shorthand that names the score by what it is worth. A touchdown counts six points, so a runner takes it in for six and a defender can return an interception for six. In the cricket hit, six names a kind of shot. Here it names the score itself, earned before any conversion attempt. Source

   Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 6 facts

   • Six denotes a touchdown in American football. en.wiktionary.org
   • A touchdown scores six points. operations.nfl.com
   • A runner can score a touchdown by carrying the ball into the opposing end zone. operations.nfl.com
   • A defender can return an interception for a six-point touchdown. clevelandbrowns.com
   • In cricket, a six names a kind of hit. images.icc-cricket.com
   • The touchdown's six points are scored before any conversion attempt. en.wikipedia.org
10. 10
    nounobsolete

    A weak beer formerly sold at six shillings per barrel.

    Note

    A price that became a name. Six shillings bought a barrel of this small beer, a weak drink, and the figure stuck as its label. Several beers were once known by their cost in shillings in the same way. Source

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • Six named small beer sold at six shillings per barrel. en.wiktionary.org
    • Small beer was weak beer. en.wiktionary.org
    • Other beers were also designated by their prices in shillings. en.wikipedia.org
11. 11
    noundialectalNorth Wales

    A bathroom or toilet, especially the room itself.