six

Etymology

From Middle English six, from Old English six, from Proto-West Germanic *sehs, from Proto-Germanic *sehs, from Proto-Indo-European *swéḱs. Compare West Frisian seis, Dutch zes, Low German söss, sess, German sechs, Norwegian and Danish seks, also Latin sex, Ancient Greek ἕξ (héx), Sanskrit षष् (ṣaṣ). Doublet of sice. Toilet sense predates military usage.

num

1. A numerical value equal to 6; the number following five and preceding seven. This many dots: (••••••).

noun

1. A group or set with six elements.
2. The digit or figure 6.
3. Six o'clock.
   In Austria the prisoners rise at five, …. There are morning prayers at a quarter to six, after which the prisoners are conducted to work. 1838, Francis Bisset Hawkins, chapter XIII, in Germany: The Spirit of Her History, Literature, Social Condition and National Economy, Illustrated by Reference to Her Physical, Moral and Political Statistics, etc., →OCLC, page 228
4. (military slang, by ellipsis of six o'clock) Rear, behind (rear side of something).
   cover my six
   Just as having an enemy on your “six” is the hardest situation to escape, being on an enemy at six o'clock is the surest kill. Fighter pilots are always practicing maneuvers to get out from having another aircraft on their six. 2009, Bill Yenne, Aces High: The Heroic Saga of the Two Top-scoring American Aces of World War II, Penguin, page 98
5. (cricket, countable) An event whereby a batsman hits a ball which does not bounce before passing over a boundary in the air, resulting in an award of 6 runs for the batting team.
   England required 15 from the last over of the regular match. Ben Stokes hit a six and benefited when a throw from the deep hit him and went for four overthrows. 14 July 2019, Stephan Shemilt, “England win Cricket World Cup: Ben Stokes stars in dramatic finale against New Zealand”, in BBC Sport, London
6. (American football) A touchdown.
7. (North Wales, UK) A bathroom or toilet.
8. (obsolete) Small beer sold at six shillings per barrel.