fɔ: n. & adj. --n. 1
one more than three, or
six less than
ten;
the product of
two units
and two units. 2 a
symbol for this (4,
iv, IV,
rarely iiii, IIII). 3 a size etc. denoted by four. 4 a four-oared rowing-boat or
its crew. 5 the
time of four o'clock (is it four yet?). 6 a card
with four pips. 7 a
hit at cricket scoring four runs. --adj.
that amount to four. øfour-eyes sl. a
person wearing glasses. four-flush US Cards a poker
hand of
little value, having four cards of the
same suit and one of
another. four-flusher US a bluffer or
humbug. four
hundred US the
social ÷lite of a
community. four-in-hand 1 a
vehicle with four horses
driven by one person. 2 US a
necktie worn with a knot and two
hanging ends superposed. four-leaf (or -leaved)
clover a clover
leaf with four leaflets thought to
bring good luck. four-letter
word any of
several short words referring to
sexual or excretory functions, regarded as
coarse or
offensive. four o'clock =
marvel of Peru. four-part Mus. arranged for four voices to
sing or instruments to
play. four-poster a
bed with a post at
each corner supporting a
canopy. four-square adj. 1 solidly based. 2
steady,
resolute;
forthright. 3 square-shaped. --adv. steadily, resolutely. four-stroke (of an internal-combustion engine) having a
cycle of four strokes (intake,
compression,
combustion, and exhaust). four-wheel
drive drive
acting on
all four wheels of a vehicle. on all fours on hands and knees. [OE feower f. Gmc]
