Recent Examples on the WebBoth teams are still suffering from their fair share of injuries, meaning there’ll be some changes put in place from the teams’ normal starting elevens.SI.com, 28 Oct. 2019 Patrick Mahomes fumbled on what would have a been a third and eleven converting run, but the ball went out of bounds one yard shy of the first down marker. Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2020 Through the show’s broadcast, viewers at home saw their favorite musicians dressed to the nines, tens, and elevens (some peacocking in meme-making looks). Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2020 Poland entered the game as favourites due to their eighth-place position in the current FIFA rankings but there was little to choose between the two starting elevens.SI.com, 19 June 2018 His early struggles at Anfield and his time out of the starting eleven appears to have benefited the English midfielder.SI.com, 9 Jan. 2018
Word History
Etymology
Middle English enleven, from enleven, adjective, from Old English endleofan, from end- (alteration of ān one) + -leofan; akin to Old English lēon to lend — more at one, loan
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of eleven was before the 12th century