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. fours, Jazz. 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 calledfour 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 ( def 3 ).

More idioms and phrases containing four

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

Example Sentences

The leaders of Canada's four major federal parties have been grilled about their response to US President Donald Trump and clashed over energy and housing in their first televised debate of the country's election campaign.

From BBC

Gonsolin made his longest rehab start yet Tuesday, giving up three earned runs while fanning five batters across four innings.

From Los Angeles Times

We checked these names against thousands of records of shipments from the US to Haiti over four years.

From BBC

In the end the matter was finally resolved for Ms Deane because someone in the firm had a contact at Facebook, and the team emailed that person daily for the four months.

From BBC

He said it would previously take about three or four days for a body to be released from a hospital mortuary to a funeral director, but this was now taking 10 to 20 days.

From BBC