number six
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Synonym of Newgate knocker (“a lock of hair worn twisted back toward the ear”).
Register: slang
Examples
Bessy knew it was called “Calverton's School” — and though many who attended it were big men who ought to have known their letters better, yet others were only youths, and a few quite little boys, who wore their hair in “number sixes” at the temples, when law had left them hair sufficient for such o
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “number six” mean?
Synonym of Newgate knocker (“a lock of hair worn twisted back toward the ear”).
Is “number six” formal or informal?
number six is generally slang.