thousand

Everyday

1. A thousand is the number 1,000: ten hundreds. tree →
2. Thousands, or a thousand, can mean a very large number, not counted exactly. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, a thousand is a place value: in 4,326 the 4 means four thousands. 10 × 100 = 1,000; 1,000 × 1,000 = one million. A kilometre is a thousand metres and a kilogram is a thousand grams. Large numbers are grouped in threes. In stories, «a thousand times» means very many times. Phrases: «a thousand», «one thousand», «thousands of», «in their thousands», «a thousand times».

Examples

• There are a thousand metres in a kilometre. tree →
• Two thousand people came to the match. tree →
• Write three thousand and five in digits: 3,005. tree →
• Thousands of birds flew south. tree →
• I've told you a thousand times! tree →
• The castle is about a thousand years old. tree →
• Round 4,672 to the nearest thousand: 5,000. tree →
• A thousand grams make one kilogram. tree →
• In a thousand years they will come! tree →

Note

After a number, «thousand» has no -s: «five thousand», not «five thousands». «Thousands of» is used without a number before it. In maths problems «a thousand» = 1,000 and «thousands» as a place value is the fourth digit from the right. In the UK, 1,000 may be written 1 000 or 1000; the comma is a separator, not a decimal point.

In Jewish tradition

In maths, a thousand is a place value: in 4,326 the 4 means four thousands. 10 × 100 = 1,000; 1,000 × 1,000 = one million. A kilometre is a thousand metres and a kilogram is a thousand grams. Large numbers are grouped in threes. In stories, «a thousand times» means very many times. Phrases: «a thousand», «one thousand», «thousands of», «in their thousands», «a thousand times».

Examples

• and threescore and twelve thousand beeves, (Torah NUM.31.33, JPS 1917) tree →
• and threescore and one thousand asses, (Torah NUM.31.34, JPS 1917) tree →
• and thirty and six thousand beeves, (Torah NUM.31.44, JPS 1917) tree →
• The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. (Writings EZR.2.39, JPS 1917) tree →
• It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about. (Prophets EZK.48.35, JPS 1917) tree →
• The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. (Writings EZR.2.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

After a number, «thousand» has no -s: «five thousand», not «five thousands». «Thousands of» is used without a number before it. In maths problems «a thousand» = 1,000 and «thousands» as a place value is the fourth digit from the right. In the UK, 1,000 may be written 1 000 or 1000; the comma is a separator, not a decimal point.