number one adj.
(orig. US) first-rate, excellent, important, influential, best.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Correspondence (1898) 242: I have some beautiful poems by me by Mrs. Barnes. [...] They are No. 1, full of passionate feeling and eminently worthy of a place . | |
| Dred I 324: ‘You got a good cook in your lot, hey?’ ‘Got a prime one [...] a number one cook , and no mistake!’. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Mahoe Leaves 38: ‘Canton English’ [...] consists in being able to ring all the changes on the words ‘Savey,’ ‘Comprador,’ ‘number one’ and the everlasting ‘pigeon’. | |
| Wanderings of a Vagabond 217: It is absolutely necessary that the proprietor of these houses should be widely known as a No. 1 sporting man. | |
 | Chicago Life 27 Apr. to rent — The elegant, spacious house at No. 84 Fourth Avenue — first class in every respect, and very desirable for a party capable of running a No. 1 place. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | Bulletin (Sydney) 30 May 22/3: ‘[T]he little woman’ and her attendant sirens were lavishing their sweetest No. 1 smiles upon two sunburnt ‘Jackeroos’ from the Namoi. | |
| Stories of Chinatown 75: A ‘hop-toy’ of Lee How’s No. 1 opium. | |
| (con. 1875) Cruise of the ‘Cachalot’ 215: Samuela [...] very earnestly informed me that he was no end of a ‘number one’ whale slaughterer. | |
| Wretches of Povertyville 211: The more ambitious criminals, burglars, forgers, and what are known as ‘big guns’ or ‘number one men,’ do not work or live in Povertyville. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Dope 116: ‘Hello! hello!’ croaked a harsh voice. ‘Number one p’lice chop, lo! Sin Sin Wa!’. | |
| ‘The First Thin Man’ in Nightmare Town (2001) 391: I hear about you, Mr. Guild. Number-one detective. You catch ’em my brother. | |
| Mister Jelly Roll (1952) 206: He was the Number One hot band then. | |
| USA Confidential 98: Probably the No. 1 Sicilian in all New England, which makes him the No. 1 citizen. | |
| Caretaker Act II: I’ve got a brother whose a number one decorator. | |
| World of Jimmy Breslin (1968) 151: The kid came over, took a cigarette, and leaned over for a light [...] ‘Number wan.’. | |
| Rooted I iii: I’m Simmo’s number one girl. | |
| Snowblind (1978) 193: This is mah ma-an [...] He is my ace number one brother. | |
| Tourist Season (1987) 187: He’s the Number One Nacho. | |
| Tragic Magic 54: This is my number one man. | |
| More Bible in Cockney 41: You’re gonna make me your number-one guest. |
In compounds
(N.Z. prison) a padded strip cell used for mentally unstable prisoners or suicide risks.
| Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 126/2: number one cell n. 1 a padded strip cell designed to hold suicidal inmates. |
(N.Z. prison) an extremely through cell search.
| Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 126/2: number one comb n. an extremely thorough cell-check. |