got your number
got your number (idioms)
/ɡɑt jʊr ˈnʌm.bɚ/
Meaning
- Recognizing someone’s true character or intentions, thereby gaining an advantage over them.
- Understanding and anticipating another person’s behavior, often implying that their actions are predictable or transparent.
- Being aware of someone’s motives or actions, indicating that they cannot deceive you.
- Possessing knowledge or information about someone that gives you power or control over them.
Variants
- I have your number
- got his number
- got her number
- got their number
- got my number
- got your numbers
- I’ve got your number
- I’ve got his/her/their/my number
Example Sentences
- You can’t fool me anymore—I’ve got your number now.
- I’ve got your number and know exactly what you’re up to.
- I have your number and won’t believe your lies anymore because I’ve seen your tricks before.
- The coach got your number and benched you for slacking off.
- Jake acts innocent, but we got your number and know his tricks.
- My boss got your number and caught me pretending to be busy.
- The lawyer got his number and exposed his dishonest tactics in court.
- We got their number and predicted every move they made in the debate.
- Emily got her number and knew she was faking confidence.
- The referee got our number and started watching us closely for fouls.
- They got my number and saw through my excuses right away.
Origin and History
One of the earliest documented uses of the phrase appears in Charles Dickens’ 1853 novel, Bleak House. In it, a character remarks:
“Whenever a person proclaims to you, ‘In worldly matters I’m a child,’ you consider that that person is only crying off from being held accountable and that you have got that person’s number…”
This suggests that the expression was in circulation by the mid-19th century, used to denote an understanding of someone’s true nature.
Military Associations
Another perspective links the idiom to military practices. In both the Royal Navy and the U.S. Army during the early 1800s, the phrase “one’s number is up” indicated that a soldier had died, referencing the removal of their mess number. This association implies a system where individuals were identified by numbers, and understanding or “having” someone’s number meant recognizing their identity or status.
Telephone Number Theory
Some interpretations suggest a connection to the advent of telephone numbers. In 1879, during a measles epidemic in Lowell, Massachusetts, telephone subscribers were assigned numbers to facilitate communication. This practice led to the term “telephone number,” which was eventually shortened to “number.” Knowing someone’s number could have implied having the means to contact or reach them directly.
Alternative Explanations
Other theories propose that the phrase stems from the general practice of assigning numbers to individuals for identification, such as in prisons or bureaucratic systems. In this context, “having someone’s number” would mean having detailed information or control over them.
Synonyms
- see through someone
- have someone figured out
- read like a book
- call someone’s bluff
- see right through
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