noun
nines
Nines (noun) means a pair of playing cards or dice both showing the value nine. Example: “He won the hand with a pair of nines.”
noun
1
A pair of playing cards or dice both showing the value nine.
"He won the hand with a pair of nines."
"She was dealt nines on the first two cards."
2
The number of nines in a decimal figure used to describe how pure or reliable something is (e.g. "three nines" = 99.9%).
"The alloy is refined to four nines purity."
"The data centre promises five nines of uptime."
How to use nines
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a pair of cards/dice showing nine, or a way of describing purity/reliability by counting how many 9s are in the percentage.
Memory tip
In tech and manufacturing, "nines" almost always refers to that purity/uptime scale — "five nines" means 99.999%.
Common pairings
five nines
four nines purity
dressed to the nines
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He won the hand with a pair of _____.
Rhymes for nines
See all rhymes for nines →Frequently asked questions
What does “nines” mean?
The word “nines” means a pair of playing cards or dice both showing the value nine. In plain terms, either a pair of cards/dice showing nine, or a way of describing purity/reliability by counting how many 9s are in the percentage.
How do you use “nines” in a sentence?
Here is “nines” used in a sentence: “He won the hand with a pair of nines.”
What part of speech is “nines”?
“Nines” is a noun.
How many meanings does “nines” have?
“Nines” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a pair of playing cards or dice both showing the value nine.
