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

But by Tuesday, four days ahead of its crosstown matchup with UCLA, it had finally caught up with Lincoln Riley, whose third rivalry week at USC now promises to be an especially viral one.

From Los Angeles Times

The US "non-persistent" mines differ from Russia's as they become inert after a pre-set period of time - anywhere from four hours to two weeks.

From BBC

They found four networks that exhibit hallmarks of habituation present in animal brains.

From Science Daily

Despite these setbacks, India’s tour went ahead, though a weakened India faced Australia without four of its leading players and lost the series 4-0.

From BBC

In League A - the top tier of the Nations League - the teams finishing first and second in each of the four groups progress to two-leg quarter-finals, which will be played in March.

From BBC