Etymology From Old French cube, from Latin cubus, from Ancient Greek κύβος (kúbos). Displaced Old English tæfel ("cube, die, game with dice or tables").
Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences A regular polyhedron having six identical square faces.
When the math teacher is teaching the class about cubes, he asks them to imagine a cardboard box whose width, length, and height are all the same.
2
Any object more or less in the form of a cube.
A: One cube or two? B: Oh, no sugar for me, thanks.
3
Mathematics, Sciences The third power of a number, value, term or expression.
The cube of 2 is 8.
The cube of 0.5 is 0.125.
4
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A data structure consisting of a three-dimensional array; a data cube.
5
A Rubik's cube style puzzle, not necessarily in the shape of a cube.
As if the 383 weren't already a roaring beast, in 1972 they bored it out some more, bringing it up to 400 cubes. This 400-cube monster could launch a land yacht like the Plymouth Fury from zero to sixty in under ten seconds.
7
Dated An extremely socially conventional or conservative person, moreso than even a square.
Etymology From Old French cube, from Latin cubus, from Ancient Greek κύβος (kúbos). Displaced Old English tæfel ("cube, die, game with dice or tables").
1
Arithmetic To raise to the third power; to determine the result of multiplying by itself twice.
Three cubed can be written as 3³, and equals twenty-seven.
From this severe trial Mr. Nackybal emerged with distinction, having in his cubing made only twenty-five slight mistakes out of the forty-six cubes demanded, and in his rooting, out of the fifty-three extractions propounded, committed a mere matter of four trifling errors!1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
2
To form into the shape of a cube.
3
To cut into cubes.
Cube the ham right after adding the curry to the rice.
4
To use a Rubik's cube.
He likes to cube now and then.
Synonyms
to cut into cubes
cube
adj
Etymology From Old French cube, from Latin cubus, from Ancient Greek κύβος (kúbos). Displaced Old English tæfel ("cube, die, game with dice or tables").
1
Postpositional Used in the names of units of area formed by multiplying a unit of length by itself twice.
Beautiful peepshows with hand-coloured engravings by Martin Englebrecht, 1684-1756, were produced in Augsburg about 1740. The box, about six inches cube, contained slots to take four cut-out scenes, the front of the box had another cut-out, and the back was painted with a landscape, making six 'curtains' in all.1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 181:
Etymology Clipped form of cubicle (with intentional reference to their common shape per cube, etymology 1), which from Latin cubiculum (“a small bedchamber or lounge”), from cubare (“to lie down”).
1
A cubicle, especially one of those found in offices.
My co-worker annoys me by throwing things over the walls of my cube.