two-by-four

[ too-bahy-fawr, -fohr, -buh- ]

adjective

1. two units thick and four units wide, especially in inches.
2. Informal. lacking adequate space; cramped:

   a small, two-by-four room.

3. Informal. unimportant; insignificant:

   Theirs was a petty, two-by-four operation.

noun

1. a timber measuring 2 × 4 inches (5 × 10 centimeters) in cross section, when untrimmed: equivalent to 1 5/8 × 3 5/8 inches (4.5 × 9 centimeters) when trimmed.

two-by-four

noun

1. a length of untrimmed timber with a cross section that measures 2 inches by 4 inches
2. a trimmed timber joist with a cross section that measures 1 1 2 inches by 3 1 2 inches

Word History and Origins

Origin of two-by-four¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

If “Knight of Fortune” is a gentle nudge to the ribs, Misan Harriman’s “The After” is a two-by-four to the gut — and not in a good way.

From New York Times

To craft a bass guitar, Aston took a two-by-four piece of wood and attached it to a square of plywood; down the neck he strung a curtain cord, with a wooden ashtray as the bridge.

From New York Times

“I’m not going to lie. If I see a rock I like, I try and roll it in my car on a two-by-four.”

From Seattle Times

The center I-beam that ran the length of the house was twisted, and the two-by-four plate on top of it was only 7/8-inch thick due to being compressed.

From Seattle Times

If you’re on a slight hill, install temporary legs to make the top of the two-by-four box level and in position where your deck will eventually be.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• girder
• joist
• piling
• pillar
• plank
• pole
• shaft
• sill
• timber