umpteenadj.n.
/ˌʌm(p)ˈtiːn/, /ˈʌm(p)tiːn/, U.S. /ˌəm(p)ˈtin/, /ˈəm(p)ˌtin/ colloquial.
A. adj.
An indefinite number, used in the sense ‘many, several’, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [adjective] > used for large number
sevenOE
fortya1616
any1758
steen1886
steenth1895
zillion1901
umpty1916
umptieth1917
umpteen1918
umpteenth1918
bazillion1939
scrillion1945
1918 J. T. B. McCudden Five Years in R.F.C. 208 I was very keen to get back over the line again, as there were umpteen Huns about.
1922 Public Opinion 11 Jan. 48/2 I entered into it and prepared to drop umteen floors.
1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement ii. 82 I've got umpteen things for him to sign.
1973 K. Giles File on Death ii. 39 I leave business to the Estate managers, six of 'em with umpteen clerks and typists.
B. n.
Such a number in the abstract.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [noun] > a large number or multitude
sandc825
thousandc1000
un-i-rimeOE
legiona1325
fernc1325
multitudec1350
hundred1362
abundancec1384
quantityc1390
sight1390
felec1394
manyheada1400
lastc1405
sortc1475
infinityc1480
multiplie1488
numbers1488
power1489
many1525
flock1535
heapa1547
multitudine1547
sort1548
myriads1555
myriads1559
infinite1563
tot-quot1565
dickera1586
multiplea1595
troop1596
multitudes1598
myriad1611
sea-sands1656
plurality1657
a vast many1695
dozen1734
a good few1756
nation1762
vast1793
a wheen (of)1814
swad1828
lot1833
tribe1833
slew1839
such a many1841
right smart1842
a million and one1856
horde1860
a good several1865
sheaf1865
a (bad, good, etc.) sortc1869
immense1872
dunnamuch1875
telephone number1880
umpty1905
dunnamany1906
skit1913
umpteen1919
zillion1922
gang1928
scrillion1935
jillion1942
900 number1977
gazillion1978
fuckload1984
1919 Athenæum 1 Aug. 695/1 As ‘umpty’ means ‘dash’, it is fairly evident that..‘umpteen’ (or ‘umteen’), which means ‘any number of times’, comes from this source.
1923 Daily Mail 3 Sept. 1 (advt.) Umpteen to umpty Fahrenheit, Wolsey keeps you comfy, quite.
1976 A. Price War Game i. viii. 141 A potential offender against section umpteen of the Road Traffic Act.
Derivatives
umpteenth adj. designating an apparently indefinite but large number (stress variable.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > plurality > great number, numerousness > [adjective] > used for large number
sevenOE
fortya1616
any1758
steen1886
steenth1895
zillion1901
umpty1916
umptieth1917
umpteen1918
umpteenth1918
bazillion1939
scrillion1945
1918 E. A. Mackintosh War, the Liberator 99 That's the umpteenth Bosche that I've killed today.
1921 Blackwood's Mag. Apr. 475/1 It was our umteenth breakdown.
1924 J. Galsworthy White Monkey iii. ii I can lie to the umteenth when there's no harm in it.
the umpteenth time phr. used of something repeated unbearably or irritatingly often.
ΚΠ
1952 M. Laski Village v. 89 ‘I always did say I'd go back if..she needed me,’ she said for the umpteenth time.
1980 P. Harcourt Tomorrow's Treason 19 For the umpteenth time I'm telling you. I haven't done anything.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1918