four

[fawr, fohr]

noun

1. a cardinal number, three plus one.

2. a symbol of this number, 4 or IV or IIII.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with four pips.

5. Jazz.,  fours, alternate four-bar passages, as played in sequence by different soloists.

   with guitar and piano trading fours.

6. Automotive.

   1. an automobile powered by a four-cylinder engine.

   2. the engine itself.

adjective

1. amounting to four in number.

four

/ fɔː /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

2. a numeral, 4, IV, etc, representing this number

3. something representing, represented by, or consisting of four units, such as a playing card with four symbols on it

4. Also called: four o'clock. four hours after noon or midnight

5. cricket

   1. a shot that crosses the boundary after hitting the ground

   2. the four runs scored for such a shot

6. rowing

   1. a racing shell propelled by four oarsmen pulling one oar each, with or without a cox

   2. the crew of such a shell

determiner

1. 1. amounting to four

      four thousand eggs

      four times

   2. ( as pronoun )

      four are ready

Word History and Origins

Origin of four¹

before 1000; Middle English four, fower, Old English fēower; cognate with Old High German fior ( German vier ), Gothic fidwor; akin to Latin quattuor, Greek tésseres ( Attic téttares )

Word History and Origins

Origin of four¹

Old English fēower ; related to Old Frisian fiūwer , Old Norse fjōrir , Old High German fior , Latin quattuor , Greek tessares , Sanskrit catur

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on all fours. all fours.

More idioms and phrases containing four

• between you and me and (the four walls)
• on all fours

Example Sentences

Bruce Boyer is facing four felony counts of perjury after prosecutors allege he tried to register fake cats to vote using his Ventura County address.

From Los Angeles Times

Less than 30 seconds later, she returns clutching four bottles - one turquoise blue, the other three containing clear liquid in 10ml vials.

From BBC

In the past fortnight, other brands have "paused" the sale of at least four more products, none of which were included in the Choice report.

From BBC

Whether the next general election is in two years as Farage predicts or in four years' time as is more likely, a lot can shift fast – including opinion polls.

From BBC

On day four, the boys –- along with five adults -–were heading up from their campsite near Long Lake when they came upon Montgomery.

From Los Angeles Times