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

Wareing tabled a motion to get the council to accept that tourism was a problem for the village in May 2024, which was rejected by six voted to four.

From BBC

Scotland could have four, if they do the necessary against Belarus in Budapest.

From BBC

Elias, from Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, will be studying biomedical engineering at Imperial College London after getting four A*s and an A in his exams.

From BBC

Each team attempted just one punt with Bishop Amat’s Mac Naughtin blocking Valencia’s try with less than four minutes to play, setting up the Lancers’ penultimate touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times

He reached the last four at the French Open and Wimbledon but faded again after being unable to break down Sinner.

From BBC