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Glite Dictionary
to have someone's number on it

to have someone's number on it

9.4
To be likely to cause trouble for someone
  • idiom
  • US
translation icon : tenerle un número a alguien
  • The storm had Sarah's number on it last night.

Examples

  • He avoided the falling rock, convinced it had his number on it.

  • The recent layoffs indicate that the next round of budget cuts has his number on it.

  • If that new policy has your number on it, you'd better be prepared.

  • This warning letter definitely has your number on it after your recent mistakes.

  • This situation really has someone's number on it!

  • The audit showed that the new regulations have someone's number on it, so everyone should take them seriously.

  • After failing to meet the deadline, I realized that the manager's comments have my number on it.

Synonyms

to do a number on
vsto have someone's number on it
  • Informal
22 8.6

To harm someone or something very badly

implies a destined or likely trouble rather than an overt act of harm
to have your name on it
vsto have someone's number on it
4 6.5

To be for a certain person, often you

means likely to bring trouble to a person rather than being intended for them
to call your number
vsto have someone's number on it
  • Informal
1 8.9

Make someone face consequences they cannot avoid

is about being likely to cause trouble for someone rather than being singled out

Antonyms

safe
∞ 1.0

Not likely to be harmed or in danger

How Targeted

to have someone's number on it
  • US
9.4
to target
821 2.9
to affect
∞ 3.0

Surface Forms

have someone's number on it infinitive
had someone's number on it past
had someone's number on it past participle
having someone's number on it present participle
has someone's number on it third person singular

Morphology

have + someone's + number + on + it

The phrase cannot be reliably interpreted from its parts — a learner who knows 'have', 'someone's', 'number', 'on', and 'it' would likely read this literally (e.g. a number written on something) and would not predict the idiomatic sense of being destined to affect or trouble someone. The use of 'number' here is idiomatic/metaphorical and the overall meaning is not a straightforward composition of the constituents, so it is unpredictable for B1 learners.

Etymology

Have someone's number on it may come from the simple image of writing a person's number on an object to mark who it is for, like a ticket or a label that shows who is chosen. So if a rock or a rule 'has your number on it', the picture is that you are marked, and it is 'meant to affect or cause trouble to you'.