fives

American

[fahyvz] / faɪvz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

a game resembling handball, played on a court having a front wall and two side walls.

fives British

/ faɪvz /

noun

(functioning as singular) a ball game similar to squash but played with bats or the hands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fives

First recorded in 1630–40; five + -s ³

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“It’s a perception: ‘oh, it’s in the fives—yes!’”

From Barron's

A half dozen little kids have come out of the bleachers seeking high fives from any Palisades High basketball player.

From Los Angeles Times

The outbreak in Enfield comes as the government launches a wider campaign to improve childhood vaccination uptake for measles and other jabs for under fives.

From BBC

Children and young people have been particularly affected with under fives being admitted to hospital with flu at higher rates than any other age group during that period.

From BBC

I plan to use my unit mostly for high fives, and ask only for an AI Mel Blanc voice option that recalls Twiki from the old Buck Rogers in the 25th Century series.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023