fouradj.n.

Brit.

/fɔː/, U.S.

/fɔr/

Forms: early Old English feawer (Northumbrian), early Old English fier- (in compounds, in transcript of lost MS), early Old English fiowær (Kentish), Old English feoer- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English feouer (Northumbrian), Old English feowor, Old English feowr- (inflected form), Old English feowyr (rare), Old English feuer (Northumbrian), Old English feuoer (Northumbrian), Old English feuor (Northumbrian), Old English fewer (Northumbrian), Old English fewoer (Northumbrian), Old English fewor- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English fewr (Northumbrian), Old English fiower, Old English fouuer (in transcript of lost MS), Old English fyower (rare), Old English fyuwer (rare), Old English fywer- (in compounds), Old English–early Middle English feor, Old English (rare)–early Middle English feorwer, Old English (Northumbrian)–early Middle English feour, Old English–early Middle English feower, Old English–early Middle English feowur, Old English (rare)–early Middle English fuwer, late Old English fæouer, late Old English feowær, late Old English fowor, late Old English–1600s fower, late Old English– four, early Middle English fefor, early Middle English feofer, early Middle English feorfer, early Middle English feouwer, early Middle English feowere, early Middle English feowre, early Middle English feowwer (in copy of Old English charter), early Middle English feur (south-west midlands), early Middle English feuwer (in copy of Old English charter), early Middle English for, early Middle English fouwer, early Middle English fowere, early Middle English fowir, early Middle English fowuer, early Middle English fowwerr ( Ormulum), early Middle English fowwre ( Ormulum), early Middle English frou (transmission error), early Middle English fufer- (in compounds), early Middle English fuȝer, early Middle English fure, early Middle English furwer- (in compounds), early Middle English fuwuer, early Middle English uor (south-west midlands), early Middle English uour (Kent), early Middle English vour (west midlands), early Middle English voure (west midlands), Middle English faur (northern), Middle English faure (chiefly north midlands and northern), Middle English fawre (north midlands and northern), Middle English foer (in copy of Old English charter), Middle English (in a late copy) 1500s–1600s fovre, Middle English 1600s ffour, Middle English–1600s ffoure, Middle English–1600s fore, Middle English–1600s fouer, Middle English–1600s foure, Middle English–1600s fovr, Middle English–1600s fowr, Middle English–1600s fowre, 1500s foore, 1500s foour, 1600s ffower; English regional 1800s foor (midlands and East Anglian), 1800s–1900s fower (northern, midlands, and East Anglian), 1800s–1900s vower (south-western); Scottish pre-1700 fauir, pre-1700 foir, pre-1700 fore, pre-1700 fouer, pre-1700 fouir, pre-1700 foure, pre-1700 fouyr, pre-1700 fowir, pre-1700 fowr, pre-1700 fowyr, pre-1700 1700s– four, pre-1700 1800s– fower, pre-1700 1800s– fowre, 1900s– fuwr (rare); Irish English 1800s vour (Wexford), 1800s voure (Wexford), 1800s– fower (northern); N.E.D (1897) also records the forms early Middle English fewer, early Middle English foor, early Middle English foour, early Middle English fur. Also represented by the numerical symbols 4, iv, IV, iiii (now rare), and IIII (now rare).

Origin: A word inherited from Germanic.

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian fiūwer, fiōr (West Frisian fjouwer, East Frisian fēr), Old Dutch fier- (in place names; Middle Dutch, Dutch vier), Old Saxon fiuwar, fior (Middle Low German vēr), Old High German fior, fier (Middle High German, German vier), Old Icelandic fjórir, Old Swedish fiurir, fyure (Swedish fyra), Old Danish fiuræ, firæ (Danish fire), Gothic fidwor < an Indo-European base also reflected by Sanskrit catvāraḥ (nominative of catur), Avestan čaθβārō, Mycenaean Greek qe-to-ro- (ancient Greek (Ionian) τέσσαρες, (Doric) τέτορες, (Aeolian) πέσσυρες, (Attic) τέτταρες), classical Latin quattuor, Oscan petora, Gaulish petuar- (attested only in petuarios fourth), Early Irish cethair, Old Welsh petguar (Welsh pedwar), Armenian čork^c, Tocharian A śtwar, Tocharian B śtwer, Old Church Slavonic četyre, Lithuanian keturi, Albanian katër.The Indo-European word for the numeral ‘four’ was originally inflected for case and gender, and systems of inflection survive to varying degrees in the early stages of several of the attested languages, including Old English. Germanic phonology. Several aspects of the phonological development of the Germanic form are not entirely clear. The initial f- (instead of expected hw- ) has variously been explained as showing a sporadic phonological development, or as showing analogical influence from the Germanic base of five adj. (or its later reflexes). In the primary form of the cardinal numeral, only Gothic fidwor preserves the internal dental. In the North Germanic languages, the dental was apparently lost by regular processes. In the West Germanic languages, the loss of the dental is more difficult to explain, and various explanations have been offered. A recent hypothesis is that it results from a rare sound change in West Germanic whereby voiced coronal fricatives were assimilated to a following w . Combining form. Compare also (with surviving dental) the combining form Old English (West Saxon) fiþer- , (Anglian) feoðor- (in e.g. fiþerdǣled having four parts, fourfold, feoðorfald fourfold), cognate with Frankish fitter- (in fitterthuschunde four thousand (in the Malberg glosses); perhaps an error for *fitther- ), Old Icelandic fer- (in e.g. ferfaldr fourfold; reflecting earlier *feðr- ), Old Swedish fiäþer- (in e.g. fiäþertiugher having forty (of something)), Gothic fidur- (in e.g. fidurfalþs fourfold; compare Crimean Gothic fyder four) < the same Indo-European base as the combining forms Sanskrit catur- , Avestan čaθru- , Mycenaean Greek qe-to-ro- (ancient Greek τετρα- ; compare tetra- comb. form), classical Latin quadru- , Gaulish petru- (with both compare quadru- comb. form), all ultimately reflecting a variant stem (with different ablaut in the second syllable: zero-grade), which is also regularly found in the oblique cases of the underlying Indo-European paradigm. This combining form occasionally survives into early Middle English; compare fetherfooted adj. Inflection in Old English. Already in Old English the word is frequently uninflected, especially when it immediately precedes a noun it modifies. But it may show plural inflection, as e.g. masculine nominative plural fēowere, dative plural fēowerum, fēowrum, etc.

The cardinal numeral next after three, represented by the symbols 4 or iv.

A. adj.

a. With modified noun expressed. the four corners, quarters, etc. (of the earth, heavens or world): the remotest parts; see corner n.¹ 8 the four corners (of a document): the limits or scope of its contents; see corner n.¹ 1e within the four seas: within the boundaries of Great Britain. †of all four sides: entirely, thoroughly.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [noun]

fourOE

quaternaryc1450

cater1553

quaternion1768

rouf1950

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective]

fourOE

the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > thoroughly

well-a-finec1330

well and truly1348

well and finec1430

of all four sides1490

à fond1813

all to splinters1884

OE Crist III 878 Þonne from feowerum foldan sceatum, þam ytemestum eorþan rices, englas æbeorhte on efen blawað byman on brehtme.

c1175 Lamb. Hom. 159 Þas fure kunnes teres boð þe fuwer wateres þa þe beoð ihaten us on to weschen.

a1225 Juliana 9 Þa leaden him i cure up o fowr hweoles.

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2570 Com þa tiðende to þan feouwer [c1300 Otho four] kinggen. þat Belin king wes icumen.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 14241 Mari and martha..þai had ben wepand þar four dais.

1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) vi. 151 Reynawde is well a noble gentylman of all foure sides.

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 8808 Þen þos maisters gert make..Fovre lampis full light..all of gold fyne.

c1600 Wriothesley's Chron. Eng. (1875) I. 19 A rich canapie of cloath of silver borne over her heade by the fower Lordes of the Portes.

1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. i. 359 So be it he goeth not out beyond the Foure-seas.

1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 156 They fired four Guns as Signals of Distress.

1886 E. Lynn Linton Paston Carew iii He..was the safest confidant to be found within the four seas.

1893 Law Times 95 29/2 It may be necessary to look beyond the four corners of the agreement.

b. four corners n. a game: see quots. Also, in Horse Riding (see quot. 1753).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > ninepins or ten-pins > [noun]

kaylesc1325

skaylesa1566

ninepins1580

pin1580

skittles1634

kittle-pins1649

skayle-pins1656

nine pegs1675

four corners1730

Dutch pins1801

Dutch rubbers1801

long bowling1801

ten-pins1807

squails1847

ten-pin bowling1934

society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > [noun] > art of horse-riding > move in voltes > specific

four corners1730

1730 N. Bailey et al. Dictionarium Britannicum Four Corners, (with Horsemen) to work a horse upon 4 corners, is in imagination to divide the volt or round into 4 quarters; and when he has done so upon each of these quarters the horse makes a round or two at trot or gallop, and when he has done so upon each quarter, he is said to have made the four quarters.

1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Four-corners, in the manege, or to work upon the four corners, is to divide in imagination the volt or round into four quarters, so that upon each of these quarters, the horse makes a round or two at trot or gallop; and when he has done so upon each quarter, he has made the four corners.

1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod iii. vii. 241 Four-corners is so called from four large pins which are placed singly at each angle of a square frame.

1881 H. Smith & C. R. Smith Isle of Wight Words 64 The game of Skittles is also altered from nine pins to four, and is called ‘Four Corners’.

c. the history of the Four Kings (see quot.).

ΚΠ

1760 S. Foote Minor i. 32 Come, shall we have a dip in the history of the Four Kings, this morning?

1895 E. C. Brewer Dict. Phrase & Fable (rev. ed.) The History of the Four Kings (Livre des Quatre Rois), a pack of cards.

a. With ellipsis of the noun, which may usually be supplied from context. †four for four: in fours.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adverb] > by or in fours

by fourthsc1430

in fours and fours1488

four for four1535

in fours1890

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2019 Feowere here weren riche þe haueden ferden muchele.

c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 938 Þe aungelez..enforsed alle fawre forth at þe ȝatez.

1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 201 Syne four for four togidder than tha fuir, And sone all aucht.

1611 Bible (King James) 2 Sam. xxi. 22 These foure..fell by the hand of Dauid.

a1699 A. Halkett Autobiogr. (1875) 53 All Fowre were in the place apointed.

b. with omission of hours, as four o'clock.

ΘΚΠ

the world > time > particular time > [noun] > the time or time of day > specific times of day

nooneOE

undernc1122

ninec1425

one1435

three o'clockc1460

twelve?1482

twelve hours?a1513

four o'clock?1578

six o'clock1693

quarter1871

kissing time1875

?1578 W. Patten Let. Entertainm. Killingwoorth 38 (Az vnhappy it waz for the bryde) that cam thyther too soon, (& yet waz it a four a clok).

1713 J. Swift Part of 7th Epist. Horace Imitated 7 I shall think of that no more, If you'll be sure to come at Four.

1875 W. S. Jevons Money (1878) 266 The bustle and turmoil of the work grow to a climax at four o'clock.

c. with omission of horses.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by purpose used for > [noun] > draught-horse > that pulls vehicle > team of four

four1815

1815 L. Simond Jrnl. Tour Great Brit. I. 3 An elegant post-chaise and four stopped at the door.

1858 J. W. Carlyle Lett. II. 363 As pleasant as a barouche and four.

†d. on (also upon) four: on all fours (see all fours n. 1). Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > progressive motion > moving along with hands and feet or with body prone > [phrase] > on all fours

on four1430

1430–40 J. Lydgate tr. Bochas Fall of Princes i. ix. 37 What thyng..Goth fyrst on foure, or els gothe he nought?

1722 Coll. Misc. Lett. Mist's Weekly Jrnl. I. 294 An old black Horse, that can scarce crawl upon Four.

3. Coupled with a higher cardinal or ordinal numeral following, so as to form a compound (cardinal or ordinal) numeral.

ΚΠ

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1047 [Brutus] hæfde þis lond fower [c1300 Otho four] and twenti winter. on his hond.

1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) xii. xi. 421 Amonge foules oonly the rauen hath fowre and syxty chaungynges of voyce.

1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 416 The foure and thirtieth Chapter sheweth the vse of the Masse.

1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 194 My breath is growing as scant as a broken-winded piper's, when he has played for four-and-twenty hours at a penny wedding.

B. n.

a. The abstract number four.

ΚΠ

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xix. cxviii. 1358 Oon ydo to þre makeþ foure.

a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 21748 O four and thre qua tels euen, He sal þe numbre mak o seuen.

1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. 62 Four..was held to be the most perfect number.

b. The figure (4) denoting this number.

2. A set of four persons or things: esp.

a. A card, domino, or the side of a die marked with four pips or spots; a throw of the die by which the ‘four’ comes uppermost.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others

twoa1500

cater1519

single ten1595

ten1595

eight1598

four1599

nine1599

six1599

seven1656

deuce1674

five1674

trey1680

spot1830

four-spot1878

two-spot1885

five-spot1913

ten-spot ladybird-

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > dice-playing > [noun] > throw > (throw of) specific number

ace?a1300

cinquec1386

sicec1386

sice cinquec1386

treyc1386

quernc1450

ames-acec1460

cater-trey?a1500

twoa1500

cater1519

deuce1519

quatrec1540

trey-acea1556

sice-ace1594

four1599

size-point1648

trey-deuce1680

boxcar1909

trey-point-

1599 J. Minsheu Pleasant Dialogues Spanish & Eng. iii. 26 in R. Percyvall & J. Minsheu Spanish Gram. R. I did lift an Ace.—L. I a foure.

1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester vi. 80 The Deuces, Treys, Fours, and Fives.

1729 J. Swift Jrnl. Dublin Lady 7 When Lady Tricksy play'd a Four You took it with a Matadore.

?1870 F. Hardy & J. R. Ware Mod. Hoyle 81 Suppose your hand consists of a four, five, and six of spades.

b. Cards (Poker). A set of four cards of the same value.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > combinations of cards

cater-trey?a1500

mournival1530

sequence1575

pair royal1608

septieme1651

tierce1659

pair1674

purtaunte1688

quart major1718

matrimonya1743

queen-suit1744

quart1746

prial1776

flux1798

fredon1798

tricon1798

intrigue1830

straight1841

marriage1861

under-sequence1863

straight five1864

double pair-royal?1870

run?1870

short suit1876

four1883

fourchette1885

meld1887

doubleton1906

canasta1948

1883 Longman's Mag. Sept. 499 Fours, or four [cards] of a kind.

1894 J. N. Maskelyne ‘Sharps & Flats’ 84 If he had been so fortunate as to possess another ace among the cards..he would have a ‘four’.

c. A four-oared boat or a crew of four oarsmen. fours, races for four-oared boats.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [noun] > rowing boat > for specific number of rowers

a pair of oars1598

ten1642

four-oar1844

pair-oar1853

six-oar1856

two-oar1857

four1861

sixern1866

gig-pair1869

pair1885

eight1898

society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > rower or oarsman > crew of 4- or 8-oared boat

eight1847

four1861

trial eight1873

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > boat racing or race > [noun] > types of rowing race

torpid1838

bumping race1842

row-over1866

sculls1878

May1879

Lents1886

fours1891

getting-on race1892

row-off1893

re-row1901

tub-race1903

bumper1906

bump1923

bumps race1927

head race1953

1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations liv, in All Year Round 13 July 364/1 A Four and two sitters..up with one tide and down with another.

1891 Outdoor Games & Recreat. 137 He must graduate through his college fours, and Torpid races.

1891 Outdoor Games & Recreat. 144 The ‘Coxswainless Fours’, These ‘Fours’..are inter-collegiate races.

d. Cricket, etc. A hit for which four runs are scored.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [noun] > types of stroke > for specific number of runs

seven1765

four1837

single1851

five1859

sevener1862

sixer1870

fourer1875

two1881

twoer1887

thirteener1893

six1920

Dorothy Dix1979

1837 Bell's Life in London 28 May Notwithstanding little Lillywhite bowled admirably, they kept getting threes, fours, and fives.

1894 A. Lang Ban & Arrière Ban 67 When Oxford's bowling always goes For ‘fours’, for ever to the Cords.

e. plural. (See quot. 1888.) Also in fours (formerly †in fours and fours), arranged in groups of four; spec. in Bibliography used to indicate the number of leaves in a sheet or gathering.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adverb] > by or in fours

by fourthsc1430

in fours and fours1488

four for four1535

in fours1890

society > communication > book > kind of book > size of book > [noun] > quarto volume

quarto1642

Q1863

in-quarto1865

four1888

1488 in T. Dickson Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1877) I. 84 Item, a frete or the Quenis oure set with grete perle sett in fouris and fouris.

1888 C. T. Jacobi Printers' Vocab. 47 Fours, a familiar term used by compositors for ‘quarto’.

1890 H. O. Sommer Malory's Arthur II. Introd. 9 The first part has signatures A to Z..in fours.

f. The four players of a game, esp. of Bridge. Also figurative.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > player or players

four1895

bridge player1899

bridger1901

palooka1934

1895 R. Kipling in Cent. Mag. Dec. 269/1 Can't I get him to make up a four at tennis with the Hammon girls?

1905 H. A. Vachell Hill vii. 144 Bridge... We could get up a four in this house.

1924 C. Mackenzie Old Men of Sea vii. 113 Cosway was called away to make up a four at bridge.

1971 Times 9 Aug. 4 A four in the East-West bridge game.

3. Short for:

a. four-shilling beer (see quot).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > beer > [noun] > other kinds of beer

spruce beerc1500

March beer1535

Lubecks beer1608

zythum1608

household beer1616

bottle1622

mumc1623

old beer1626

six1631

four1633

maize beer1663

mum beer1667

vinegar beer1677

wrest-beer1689

nog1693

October1705

October beer1707

ship-beer1707

butt beer1730

starting beer1735

butt1743

peterman1767

seamen's beer1795

chang1800

treacle beer1806

stock beer1826

Iceland beer1828

East India pale ale1835

India pale ale1837

faro1847

she-oak1848

Bass1849

bitter beer1850

bock1856

treble X1856

Burton1861

nettle beer1864

honey beer1867

pivo1873

Lambic1889

steam beer1898

barley-beer1901

gueuze1926

Kriek1936

best1938

rough1946

keg1949

IPA1953

busaa1967

mbege1972

microbrew1985

microbeer1986

yeast-beer-

1633 Match at Mid-night ii. sig. E^v Tim. What is't brother foure or sixe? Alex. Foure or sixe, 'tis rich Canary... Tim... Now I thinke on't, A cup of this is better then our foure shilling Beere at home.

b. four-pennyworth (of spirits).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > [noun] > specific quantity of

dramc1590

leaguer1712

finger1820

glassful1841

four1869

nip1869

half1888

two1894

snifter1910

treble1968

balloon1973

triple1981

peg2003

1869 E. Yates Wrecked in Port II. ix. 209 ‘Fours’ of rum, and ‘sixes’ of brandy.

1876 W. Besant & J. Rice Golden Butterfly I. i. 49 The girl..set before him a ‘four’ of brandy and the cold water.

c. (plural) four-percents.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > stock > of the national debt

fives1847

threes1850

four1887

1887 Daily News 15 Nov. 5/6 Fully-paid-up stock..in exchange for the converted Fours and Four-and-a-Halfs.

d. plural (in form fourses). A light meal taken in the fields at four o'clock in the afternoon. local. Cf. bever n. 3.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > light meal or snacks

nuncheonc1260

morsela1382

refection?a1439

mixtumc1490

bever1500

banquet1509

collation1525

snatch1570

beverage1577

a little something1577

anders-meat1598

four-hours1637

watering1637

refreshment1639

snap1642

luncheona1652

crib1652

prandicle1656

munchin1657

baita1661

unch1663

afternooning1678

whet1688

nacket1694

merenda1740

rinfresco1745

bagging?1746

snack1757

coffee1774

second breakfast1775

nummit1777

stay-stomach1800

damper1804

eleven o'clock1805

noonshine1808

by-bit1819

morning1819

four1823

four o'clock1825

lunch1829

stay-bit1833

picnic meal1839

elevens1849

Tommy1864

picnic tea1869

dinnerette1872

merienda1880

elevenses1887

light bite1887

soldier's supper1893

mug-up1902

tray1914

café complet1933

nosha1941

namkeen1942

snax1947

snackette1952

chaat1954

ploughman's lunch1957

munchie1959

playlunch1960

short-eat1962

lite bite1965

munchie1971

ploughman1975

aperitivo2002

1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 132 Foorzes.

1849 W. Raynbird & H. Raynbird On Agric. Suffolk vi. 296 The name ‘fourzes’ and ‘elevens’, given to these short periods of rest and refreshment, show when taken.

1887 E. R. Suffling Land of Broads (ed. 2) 266 At 4 p.m., when they have their ‘fourses’.

1895 C. J. Cornish Wild Eng. Today 243 The workmen rest for their ‘elevenses’ and ‘fourses’.

1923 Daily Mail 30 July 6 The men at work with bare chests or enjoying their drink in the shade of the hedge at ‘elevenses’ or ‘fourses’ according to the hour.

1953 A. Jobson Househ. & Country Crafts ii. 28 Another speciality..was the harvest-cake or biscuit, also known as a bever cake... This was a most welcome addition to the ‘fourses’ provided by the farmer's wife for the harvest field.

1966 G. E. Evans Pattern under Plough xv. 154 A substitute harvest horn..did service to summon up the women and children to bring their elevenses and fourses into the harvest field.

Compounds

C1.

a. Combined with nouns forming adjectives.

four-acre adj.

ΚΠ

1868 W. E. Gladstone Juventus Mundi (1870) xi. 420 A four-acre field.

four-button adj.

ΚΠ

1896 Daily News 2 July 8/7 White kids sewn with black..as well as lavender, chiefly in four-button length.

four-cylinder adj.

ΚΠ

1902 Westm. Gaz. 8 Sept. 7/3 Quadruple expansion four-cylinder engines of 4,000 horse-power.

1936 Discovery Feb. 37 Improved four-cylinder compound locomotive with poppet-valves and double blast-pipe.

four-day adj.

ΚΠ

1902 Daily Chron. 1 Sept. 5/2 The half-yearly four-day closing of the British Museum reading room.

1909 Westm. Gaz. 3 Sept. 12/1 Thus making the first four-day westward voyage.

1935 Discovery Aug. 221/1 The five-day week has already arrived, the four-day week will come and there will be increasing leisure to be employed.

1960 News Chron. 9 Apr. 1/3 Thousands of men stayed away from work..trying..to enforce a four-day week.

four-door adj.

ΚΠ

1957 P. Frank Seven Days to Never i. 13 A four-door sedan.

four-gallon adj.

ΚΠ

1879 I. L. Bird Lady's Life Rocky Mts. I. 264 I told him to fill up the four-gallon kettle.

four-gun adj.

ΚΠ

1862 D. T. Ansted & R. G. Latham Channel Islands iii. xvii. 400 A four-gun cutter.

four-line adj.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > part of poem > [adjective] > stanzaic > of specific number of lines

monostich1656

distichal1778

four-line1827

four-lined1827

distichic1884

tetrastichic1884

tristichic1884

tetrastichal1895

two-line1901

1827 Gentleman's Mag. 97 ii. 501 Underneath this a stave or four-line verse.

four-mile adj.

ΚΠ

1897 S. L. Hinde Fall Congo Arabs 115 The whole crowd jumped into the river, here about a hundred yards wide, with a four-mile current.

1903 R. Kipling Five Nations 90 From the Four-mile Radius roughly to the plains of Hindustan.

four-story adj.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > building of specific internal arrangement > [adjective] > number of storeys

one-storey1796

two-lofted1819

one-storeyed1821

four-story1833

single-storied1835

upstairs1840

multi-storied1891

multi-storey1902

low-rise1922

single-storey1947

tri-level1960

1833 C. F. Hoffman Let. 25 Nov. in Winter in West (1835) I. 112 [In Detroit] there are..many four-story stores erecting.

1888 A. K. Green Behind Closed Doors vi. 80 A four-story brick building.

four-year-old adj.

ΚΠ

1832 E. Bulwer-Lytton Eugene Aram I. i. v. 77 The four-year-old mutton..affecting the shape and assuming the adjuncts of venison.

1855 Ld. Tennyson Brook in Maud & Other Poems 108 That [colt] was the four-year-old I sold the Squire.

b. In parasynthetic adjectives. With suffix -ed suffix².

four-barrelled adj.

ΚΠ

1881 Times 15 Jan. 5/6 A high power of firing for a four-barrelled gun.

four-chambered adj.

ΚΠ

1870 P. Gillmore tr. L. Figuier Reptiles & Birds Introd. 2 The heart is four-chambered, transmitting venous blood to the lungs.

four-columned adj.

ΚΠ

1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 18 We are now poring over all the nothings in a four-columned newspaper.

four-decked adj.

ΚΠ

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple II. xvi. 280 Nothing would suit Nelson but this four-decked ship.

four-faced adj.

ΚΠ

1878 H. P. Gurney Crystallogr. 86 A cube with a low four-sided pyramid on each face..is sometimes called a four-faced cube.

four-fingered adj.

ΚΠ

1803 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. I. 69 The Four-fingered Monkey is an inhabitant of several parts of South America.

four-headed adj.

ΚΠ

1864 E. B. Pusey Daniel ii. 75 The four-headed creatures in Ezekiel's vision.

four-legged adj.

ΚΠ

1663 S. Butler Hudibras: First Pt. i. i. 31 To guard the magazine i' th' hose From two-legg'd and from four-legg'd foes.

1778 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 68 57 The whole being supported by a four-legged stand.

1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 300 Louise..calling her little four-legged companion, had eagerly followed in the path.

four-lettered adj.

ΚΠ

1652 H. Crompton tr. H. C. Agrippa Glory of Women 4 That four-lettr'd name, rare and Divine.

four-lined adj.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > part of poem > [adjective] > stanzaic > of specific number of lines

monostich1656

distichal1778

four-line1827

four-lined1827

distichic1884

tetrastichic1884

tristichic1884

tetrastichal1895

two-line1901

1827 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) IV. 214 The poem..is in four-lined stanzas.

four-roomed adj.

ΚΠ

1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 234 A new four-roomed cottage.

four-sided adj.

ΚΠ

1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. i. 26 Of four-sided Figures.

four-snouted adj.

ΚΠ

1647 R. Stapleton tr. Juvenal Sixteen Satyrs v. 55 Thou drain'st a foule four-snouted glasse, that's call'd The Beneventine Cobler.

four-spined adj.

ΚΠ

1836 W. Yarrell Hist. Brit. Fishes I. 83 The four-spined Stickleback.

four-stranded adj.

ΚΠ

1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine at Ame The middle strand of a four-stranded rope.

four-stringed adj.

ΚΠ

1742 G. Berkeley Let. to Gervais in A. C. Fraser Life & Lett. G. Berkeley (1871) viii. 284 The instrument she desired to be provided was a large four-stringed bass violin.

four-tined adj.

ΚΠ

1765 Universal Mag. 37 33/1 A four-tined fork.

four-toed adj.

ΚΠ

1872 S. W. Baker Nile Tributaries Abyssinia (new ed.) ii. 27 The first time I saw the peculiar four-toed print of the hippopotamus's foot.

c. In parasynthetic nouns with suffix -er suffix¹.

four-boater n.

ΚΠ

1889 Cent. Dict. Four-boater, a whaling-ship carrying four boats on the cranes.

four-decker n.

ΚΠ

1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple II. xvi. 280 She was a four-decker.

four-master n.

four-year-older n.

ΚΠ

1826 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey I. i. viii. 52 Any stray four year older not yet sent to bed.

d. In adverbial sense (= in four parts) with past participles.

four-cleft adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > divided into four

quartereda1425

quartléc1425

quadripartite?a1475

quadrupart1602

four-parteda1620

quadral1681

four-cleft1793

tesseratomic1887

1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. H6^v Four-cleft leaf, folium quadrifidum.

1846 J. D. Dana U.S. Exploring Exped.: Zoophytes 139 Mouth prominent, four-cleft within.

four-parted adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > divided into four

quartereda1425

quartléc1425

quadripartite?a1475

quadrupart1602

four-parteda1620

quadral1681

four-cleft1793

tesseratomic1887

a1620 M. Fotherby Atheomastix (1622) ii. vii. §3. 264 The foure-parted Image.

1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. H7 Four-parted leaf, folium quadripartitum.

C2. Special combinations.

four-ale n. (a) ale sold at four-pence a quart; also attributive; (b) a four-ale bar.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > ale > [noun] > other ales

strawberry ale1523

red ale1557

sixteens1584

bottle ale1586

hostler ale1590

Pimlico1609

eyebright1612

quest-ale1681

hugmatee1699

Newcastle brown (ale)1707

pale ale1708

twopenny ale (or beer)1710

twoops1729

flux ale1742

pale1743

Ringwood1759

brown ale1776

light ale1780

blue cap1789

brown1820

India pale ale1837

Tipper1843

ostler ale1861

fourpenny ale1871

four-ale1883

ninepenny1886

Scotch1886

barley wine1940

IPA1953

light1953

real ale1972

the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > drinking place > [noun] > tap-room or bar > other bars

public bar1654

American bar1856

wine room1865

last chance saloon1869

four-ale1883

private bar1892

saloon bar1902

cocktail bar1908

cocktail lounge1934

porter bar1935

lounge bar1937

wine bar1938

dive bar1940

gay bar1947

open bar1947

piano bar1947

sherry-bar1951

public1957

leather bar1961

private1963

ouzeri1964

karaoke bar1977

1883 Daily News 8 Sept. 3/1 Nearly every man seemed to order nothing more mischievous than ‘half-a-pint of four ale’.

1902 Daily Chron. 23 Sept. 6/7 He had been to a ‘four-ale club’.

1930 Daily Chron. 6 Nov. 5/7 The man had been in his [public-]house—in the four-ale bar.

a1953 D. Thomas Under Milk Wood (1954) 2 Night in the four-ale, quiet as a domino.

1966 ‘H. Carmichael’ Suicide Clause vi. 73 A kindred spirit beside me in the four-ale bar.

four-ball adj. defining a foursome at golf in which four balls are used, the best ball on each side counting at each hole; also absol.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [adjective] > types of match or game

three-ball1839

four-ball1904

Stableford1937

1904 Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 4/1 The players in a four-ball match.

1909 Westm. Gaz. 8 Mar. 12/2 Four-ball foursomes.

1969 Times 25 Sept. 15/1 In the wake of that extraordinary feature of American golf, the four-ball, gang mowers at last got to work on the fairways.

four-baller n. a golfer playing in a four-ball match.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [noun] > player > types of

outgoera1382

putter1842

driver1847

approacher1887

brassy player1894

long-handicapper1899

penalty-carrier1908

socketer1912

pinsplitter1916

chipper1923

four-baller1927

hacker1934

shotmaker1974

low-ball hitter1979

1927 Observer 31 July 15/5 A selfish ‘four-baller’, intent solely on his own pleasure, has blocked the way.

four-cant n. (see quot.; cf. four-strand adj.).

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > rope, cord, or line > types of

warp1296

sewing-rope1336

viring-rope1336

wardrope1338

bast1357

breast rope1412

balk-line1506

waterline1626

shank1706

selvage1711

shroud hawser1744

white line1747

selvagee1750

cringle1787

staple-rope1794

bracing-rope1827

selvage-stropc1860

soga1860

four-cant1867

toggle-lanyard1874

maguey1908

snorter1950

snotter1950

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Four-cant, a rope composed of four strands.

four-centred arch n. Architecture one described from four centres.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > arch > [noun] > other types of arch

bowOE

craba1387

cove1511

triumphal arch (arc)a1566

straight arch1663

pointed arch1688

rough arch1693

jack-arch1700

oxi1700

raking arch1711

flat arch1715

scheme-arch1725

counter-arch1726

ox-eye arch1736

surbased dome1763

ogee1800

rising arch1809

sub-arch1811

deaf arch1815

four-centred arch1815

mixed arch1815

Tudor arch1815

camber1823

lancet arch1823

invert1827

platband1828

pier arch1835

ogive1841

scoinson arch1842

segment1845

skew arch1845

drop-arch1848

equilateral arch1848

lancet1848

rear arch1848

straining-arch1848

tierceron1851

shouldered arch1853

archlet1862

segment-arch1887

1815 T. Rickman in J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 154 Its arch is very often four-centred, which at once decides its date.

four-chromatic adj. = four-colour adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > [adjective] > four colours

four-colour1879

tetrachromatic1902

tetrachromic1902

four-chromatic1952

1952 G. A. Dirac in Jrnl. London Math. Soc. XXVII. 85 (title) A property of 4-chromatic graphs and some remarks on critical graphs.

four-coloration n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > [noun] > four colours

four-colouring1963

four-coloration1967

1967 O. Ore Four-color Probl. xii. 210 This..can be extended..to give a 4-coloration of G.

four-colour adj. having, or pertaining to the use of, four colours; four-colour problem, the as yet unsolved problem of proving as a mathematical theorem that on any plane map only four colours are needed to give different colours to any regions that have a common boundary.

ΘΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > [adjective] > four colours

four-colour1879

tetrachromatic1902

tetrachromic1902

four-chromatic1952

the world > relative properties > number > mathematics > [noun] > mathematical enquiry > proposition > problem > specific problem

Deliac problem1636

word problem1903

travelling salesman problem1949

four-colour problem1962

1879 Cayley in Proc. Royal Geogr. Soc. I. 260 The theorem then is, that if an area be partitioned in any manner into areas, these can be, with four colours only, coloured in such wise that in every case two attached areas have distinct colours.]

1879 A. B. Kempe in Amer. Jrnl. Math. 2 200 I will conclude with a theorem... It is one of which I long endeavoured to obtain an independent proof, as a means of solving the four-colour problem.

1897 P. J. Heawood in Q. Jrnl. Math. XXIX. 270 (title) On the four-colour map theorem.

1931 Everyman's Encycl. IV. 209/1 The early years of the twentieth century have seen many improvements in working the three-colour block process, while in America especially the four-colour process has been developed.

1941 R. Courant & H. E. Robbins What is Math.? v. 247 The four color theorem has indeed been proved for all maps containing less than thirty-eight regions.

1941 R. Courant & H. E. Robbins What is Math.? v. 247 In the four color problem the maps may be drawn either in the plane or on the surface of a sphere.

1962 A. Doig tr. C. Berge Theory of Graphs xxi. 214 The following theorem which has never yet been proved is known as the four-colour problem: every planar graph is 4-chromatic.

1967 E. Chambers Photolitho-offset xv. 236 The demand for colour, especially four-colour half-tone work, either for catalogue or carton use, has brought about the development of four and six-colour machines.

1971 Daily Tel. 8 Jan. (Colour Suppl.) 21/4 The best four-colour lithographic printers in the country.

four-colour v. (transitive) .

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > variegate [verb (transitive)] > with four colours

four-colour1963

1963 E. L. Johnson in Calif. Univ. Operations Res. Center Rep. No. 28. 8 The edges of the reduced graph G¹ can be 4-colored.

1963 E. L. Johnson in Calif. Univ. Operations Res. Center Rep. No. 28. (title) A proof of four-coloring the edges of a regular three-degree graph.

four-colouring n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > variegation > [noun] > four colours

four-colouring1963

four-coloration1967

1963 G. A. Dirac in Proc. London Math. Soc. 13 195 Theorem 2 establishes the truth of the four-colour conjecture for a new class of planar graphs..and..furnishes a procedure for verifying that a given suitable planar graph is 4-colourable without having to find a 4-colouring for the whole of it.

1967 O. Ore Four-color Probl. viii. 107 To define a four coloring of the faces in G.

† four-corner adj. Obsolete = four-cornered adj.

ΚΠ

1640–1 Ld. J. Digby Speech in Comm. 9 Feb. 9 The Lawne sleeves, the foure corner Cap, the Cope.

four-cornered adj. having four corners, square; four-cornered cap, a college cap or ‘square’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adjective] > quadrilateral

four-nookedc1275

four-hernedc1290

quadrangular?a1425

four-corneredc1440

quadrangle1494

quadrivial1540

quadrangled1552

quadrilater?a1560

tetragonal1571

quadrangulate1592

quadranguled1592

quadrilateral1606

four-corner1640

tetragon1794

the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > headgear > [noun] > cap > types of > denoting office or profession > academic

four-cornered capc1440

corner-cap1566

cornered cap1583

square cap1584

cap1611

university cap1646

trencher-cap1721

trencher1834

muffin cap1837

mortarboard1854

house cap1863

colleger1889

square1928

c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 175/2 Fowre corneryd, quadrangulus.

15.. in J. Strype Parker (1711) App. No. 40 Every Hedde of College..to weare when they goo abrode, longe Gownes..and square or four cornered Capps.

1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 329 It [sc. the idol] had..a Mouth extended four-corner'd, like that of a Lion.

1823 W. Scott Let. to Ld. Montagu 18 June in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott Think of a vile four cornered house with plantations laid out in scollops.

four-cornerwise adv. so as to form four corners.

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adverb] > quadrilateral

four-cornerwise1607

quadrangularly1673

tetragonally1888

1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 509 The common kind of this moustrap is made of wood, long and foure cornerwise.

four-coupled adj. having four coupled wheels.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > rail travel > rolling stock > [adjective] > type of locomotive

cabless1887

four-coupled1889

Pacific1903

1889 Daily News 21 June 6/3 A four coupled engine drew an excursion train of 13 vehicles.

four-course n. Agriculture a four years' course or series of crops in rotation (in quots. attributive; see course n. 31).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > [adjective] > rotation of crops

rotational1771

four-course1846

1846 J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 245 By what is termed the four-course shift, having equal proportions of fallow, barley, clover, peas or beans, and wheat in each year.

1891 ‘S. C. Scrivener’ Our Fields & Cities iv. 28 This ‘Four-Course’ system, as it is called, produces five entirely different plants, namely, turnips, barley, beans, clover, and wheat.

four-crossway n. (also four-crossways) the place where two roads cross or four roads meet.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > junction of roads, paths, or tracks > [noun] > cross-roads

carfax1357

carfour1477

cross1546

cross-way?1556

quatervois?1575

four-way1598

four-crosswaya1645

crossing1695

four-went way(s1777

cross-road1812

cross-street1825

intersectiona1864

1480 W. Worcester in J. Nasmith Itineraria (1778) 176 At the crosse yn Baldwyne strete been iiii crosse wayes metyng.]

a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) i. ii. 48 He came to a foure crosse way.

1842 Peter Parley's Ann. 288 Do you mean..that your husband was buried in a four-crossways? He must then have killed himself.

four-cycle adj. = four-stroke adj.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > [adjective] > other qualities or attributes

bell-mouthed1797

reverse1839

throttled1850

reversible1852

steam-jacketed1876

multi-cylindera1884

multiple-cylinder1888

four-cycle1909

multi-cylindered1909

knockless1928

throttleable1951

multi-fuel1957

stretched1960

multi-fuelled1964

1909 Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 4/1 It is open to question if a two-cycle engine will ever be produced which will show the same economy of fuel as the four-cycle.

1924 Times Trade & Engin. Suppl. 29 Nov. 250/4 Four-cycle double-acting engines.

1950 Engineering 19 May 577/3 Fuel within this range..can be burnt successfully in four-cycle [diesel] engines.

four-dimensional adj. Mathematics of or belonging to a fourth dimension.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > geometry > geometric space > [adjective] > of dimensions > of specific number of

tri-dimensional1858

four-dimensional1866

one-dimensional1876

three-dimensional1878

four-dimensioned1880

two-dimensional1883

two-dimensioned1885

1866 F. W. H. Myers in E. Gurney et al. Phantasms of Living II. 314 Four-dimensional space (if that exists).

1880 Academy 30 Oct. 314 Four-dimensional space may be built up with..ikosatetrahedroids.

four-dimensioned adj. having four dimensions.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > geometry > geometric space > [adjective] > of dimensions > of specific number of

tri-dimensional1858

four-dimensional1866

one-dimensional1876

three-dimensional1878

four-dimensioned1880

two-dimensional1883

two-dimensioned1885

1880 Daily News 20 Oct. 5/1 The unfamiliarity of a début in this world to a spirit more at home in four-dimensioned space.

† four-double adj. Obsolete = fourfold adj. 1.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > fourfold

fourfoldc1000

quatreblea1398

quadruplate?a1505

four-double1527

quadruple1557

quadruplex1606

quadrupled1607

quadruplicate1654

quadrifariousa1745

quaternate1753

quadriplicate1890

tetraplous1899

1527 L. Andrewe tr. H. Brunschwig Vertuose Boke Distyllacyon sig. Aij With a foure dowble clowte, or with hempen towe steped in the same..do as ye dyde before twyse or thryse a daye.

1599 A. M. tr. O. Gaebelkhover Bk. Physicke 249/2 Wet therin a fourdubble cloth, and applye him theron.

1704 London Gaz. No. 3990/4 A small Gold Chain 4 double fastened to the Watch.

† four-eared adj. figurative Obsolete (a) ? = four-armed (said of a market cross); (b) twofold.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > two > duality > [adjective]

twifoldc890

twinc1000

double?c1225

tway-fold1303

doublefold1382

twain1398

twin-kina1400

twinlepia1400

four-eared1514

twofold1559

bifold1590

duplar1610

binal?c1640

dual1655

binarious1656

binary system1766

dualistic1832

double-barrelled1837

twinfold1842

1514 Accts. St. John's Hosp., Canterbury (Canterbury Cathedral Archives: CCA-U13/4) Rec...for land at þe fower yeryd cros.

1600 tr. T. Garzoni Hosp. Incurable Fooles 62 A ridiculous and foure-eared foole.

1614 N. Breton I would & I would Not lxxxii, in Wks. (1879) I. 10 I would I were the gallanst Courtizan, That euer put a four-Ear'de Asse to schoole.

four-eyes n. (a) see quot. 1755; (b) the name of a fish (see quot. 1879); (c) slang (see quot. 1874).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Bucephala > bucephala clangula (golden-eye)

cur1621

goldeneye1622

shelden1674

whistling duck1699

four-eyes1755

garrot1829

jingler1829

great-head1843

musselcracker1845

whistle-wing1872

ironhead1888

whiffler1888

the world > health and disease > healing > ophthalmology or optometry > aids to defective vision > [noun] > spectacles > wearer of

four-eyes1874

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > order Atheriniformes > [noun] > member of family Anablepidae

stargazer1842

four-eyes1879

1755 T. Amory Mem. Ladies 176 Some people have named this bird [sc. the golden eye] the four-eyes.

1874 Hotten's Slang Dict. (rev. ed.) 168 Four eyes, a man or woman who habitually wears spectacles.

1879 J. W. Boddam-Whetham Roraima & Brit. Guiana 130 The little fish known as ‘Four Eyes’, Anableps Tetraophthalmus.

† four-fallow v. Obsolete to fallow fourfold.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > breaking up land > ploughing > plough (land) [verb (transitive)] > plough for third or last time

thry-fallow1428

four-fallow1577

three-fallow1577

foil1669

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 22^v You must not only twyfallowe & threefallowe your ground, but also fourefallow it.

four-field course n. Agriculture a series of crops grown in four fields in rotation.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > [noun] > rotation of crops

rotation1757

course1767

succession1779

turnip-system1805

convertible husbandry1811

four-field course1842

1842 Ld. Tennyson Audley Court in Poems (new ed.) II. 43 We..discuss'd the farm, The fourfield system, and the price of grain.

1844 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 5 i. 162 It is usually cropped on the four-field or Norfolk course.

four-figure adj. (a) consisting of four figures, i.e. a thousand or over (but less than ten thousand), a thousand pounds or over, etc.; (b) evaluated to or containing four significant figures or four decimal places.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > monetary value > [adjective] > specific values

twopenny1532

sixpenny1592

fourpenny1597

threepenny1627

ninepenny1632

ten-pound1673

two-bit1802

four-figure1842

million-dollar1854

two-cent1859

thousand-guinea1894

thruppence1895

five-figure1971

six-figure1971

the world > relative properties > number > mathematical notation or symbol > [adjective] > written or designated by figures > grouping of figures

four-figure1842

three-figure1855

double-digit1959

six-figure1963

double-figure1966

the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > fraction > [adjective] > number of digits or decimal places

four-figure1842

four-place1888

1842 Penny Cycl. XXIII. 499/2 Four-figure logarithms on a card.

1877 Porcupine 17 Feb. 741/1 The same modest four-figure price.

1968 L. Fox & D. F. Mayers Computing Methods for Scientists & Engineers iii. 51 The fifth digit in our four-figure computation.

1970 Daily Tel. 8 June 4/3 The newcomers should help to send Dame Patricia back to Westminster with a good four-figure majority.

four figured adj. that sells for four figures.

ΚΠ

1895 Daily News 7 Jan. 3/4 The total amount of capital invested in these ‘four-figured’..animals.

four figures n. i.e. an amount of one thousand pounds or over.

ΘΚΠ

society > trade and finance > money > sum of money > [noun] > large sum

pounda1225

ransom?a1300

fother14..

gob1542

mint1579

king's ransomc1590

abomination1604

coda1680

a pretty (also fine, fair, etc.) penny1710

plunk1767

big money1824

pot1856

big one?1863

a small fortune1874

four figures1893

poultice1902

parcel1903

bundle1905

pretty1909

real money1918

stack1919

packet1922

heavy sugar1926

motza1936

big bucks1941

bomb1958

wedge1977

megadollars1980

squillion1986

bank1995

1893 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Jan. 3/2 The two best yearlings sold for four figures.

four-foil n. Architecture a quatrefoil.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > architectural ornament > [noun] > ornamentation by foils > specific number of foils

sexfoil1688

quatrefoil1805

cinquefoil1816

septfoil1819

trefoil head1825

multifoil1835

polyfoil1842

septemfoil1842

trefoil1842

sixfoil1849

four-foil1860

octofoil1867

1860 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters V. 29 The normal of four-foils is therefore [etc.].

four-foot n. (also four-foot way) the space (really 4 ft. 8½ in.) between the rails on which the train runs.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [noun] > track > permanent way > space between rails

six-foot way1861

four-foot1896

1896 Daily News 9 Mar. 5/5 The body of the lady, who was lying in the four-foot.

four-four time n. Music time or rhythm consisting of four crotchets in a bar (also elliptical).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > proportion of notes or rhythm > [noun] > specific rhythms

triplac1550

semibreve time1591

common measure1597

common time1597

nonupla1597

triple1597

binary measure1609

triple time1654

treble time1686

ternary measure or time1728

alla breve1731

ribattuta1740

four-four time1826

compound time1848

dotted rhythm1872

six-eight tempo1873

six-four1873

six-eight time1884

six-four time1884

six-two time1884

twelve-eight1884

slow drag1901

two-rhythm1901

three-four1902

sprung rhythm1944

songo1978

one-drop1979

1826 J. F. Danneley Mus. Gram. Index 100 Four-four time.

1853 C. Engel Pianist's Handbk. 49 The Allemande, in the style of an old German dance, in ⁴/ ₄ time, in moderate movement.

1880 G. Grove Dict. Music (at cited word) 4–4 time, which is made up of two bars of 2–4 time..in Germany is always classed with the compound times. In England however..those rhythms only [are] considered as compound, in which each beat is divisible into three parts.

1959 Listener 5 Feb. 264/2 Alternating bars of five-four and four-four.

1966 Crescendo Dec. 26/1 The time signature 4/4 seems to be at its most productive rhythmically when 12/8 is imposed on it.

1966 Crescendo Dec. 26/1 To superimpose 18/8 on to 4/4.

four freedoms n. see freedom n. 4b.

four-half n. slang half ale, half porter, at four-pence a quart.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > mixed drinks of ale or beer > [noun]

three-threads1698

pap-in1748

half-and-half1756

porter cup1790

shandygaff1853

mixed ale1864

cooper1871

black and tan1881

four-half1884

mother-in-law1884

shandy1888

smiler1892

mild-and-bitter1933

red-eye1960

1884 Punch 29 Nov. 257/1 Drinks anything stronger or dearer than ‘four-half’.

four-high adj. having four rolls one over another, as a rolling-mill (cf. two-high adj. at two adj., n., and adv. Compounds 2).

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > metalworking equipment > [adjective] > types of rolling equipment

two-high1875

four-high1878

pilger1902

1878 Iron Age 5 Dec. 3/5 The use of Bleckly's four-high wire mill..has been attended with very satisfactory results.

1928 Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 117 840 The chief object of the four-high mill is to provide an exceedingly rigid working roll of relatively small working diameter.

1958 Times 7 Jan. 14/2 Heavy, medium and light plates all rolled in two 4-high mills.

1958 Times 7 Jan. 14/2 The new slabbing mill and the 4-high plate mills.

four-horse adj. that is drawn by four horses.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > [adjective] > drawn by horse > by specific number or arrangement of

four-horseda1382

one-horse1734

four-horse1762

single-horse1764

two-horse1798

pair-horse1829

pair-horsed1896

1762 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. ii. xii. 228 In a four-horse plough, yoked in pairs.

1842 C. Dickens Amer. Notes II. i. 11 The mail takes the lead in a four-horse wagon.

four-horsed adj. that is drawn by four horses.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > [adjective] > drawn by horse > by specific number or arrangement of

four-horseda1382

one-horse1734

four-horse1762

single-horse1764

two-horse1798

pair-horse1829

pair-horsed1896

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. lxvi. 15 The Lord in fyr shal come, and as a whirlewynd his foure horsid carres.

1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Æneid vi, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 290 Borne on his four-horsed chariot..Over the Danaan land.

four-hours n. Scottish a light refreshment taken about four o'clock; also †four hours penny (see quot. a1651).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > light meal or snacks

nuncheonc1260

morsela1382

refection?a1439

mixtumc1490

bever1500

banquet1509

collation1525

snatch1570

beverage1577

a little something1577

anders-meat1598

four-hours1637

watering1637

refreshment1639

snap1642

luncheona1652

crib1652

prandicle1656

munchin1657

baita1661

unch1663

afternooning1678

whet1688

nacket1694

merenda1740

rinfresco1745

bagging?1746

snack1757

coffee1774

second breakfast1775

nummit1777

stay-stomach1800

damper1804

eleven o'clock1805

noonshine1808

by-bit1819

morning1819

four1823

four o'clock1825

lunch1829

stay-bit1833

picnic meal1839

elevens1849

Tommy1864

picnic tea1869

dinnerette1872

merienda1880

elevenses1887

light bite1887

soldier's supper1893

mug-up1902

tray1914

café complet1933

nosha1941

namkeen1942

snax1947

snackette1952

chaat1954

ploughman's lunch1957

munchie1959

playlunch1960

short-eat1962

lite bite1965

munchie1971

ploughman1975

aperitivo2002

1637 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 243 We think all is but a little earnest, a four-hours, a small tasting, that we have..in this life.

a1651 D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1843) II. 125 When the craftsmen were required to assemble..they went to their foure houres pennie. Note, The name of the after~noon refreshment of ale [etc.]..taken at four o'clock.

1870 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. Sc. Life (ed. 18) v. 118 When I get my four hours, that will refresh me.

four hundred n. U.S. the highest society of a locality.

ΘΚΠ

society > society and the community > social class > nobility > aristocracy or upper class > [noun]

optimacy1579

aristocracy1651

great world1699

peerage1725

well-connected1788

governing class1795

patriciate1795

well-connected1831

caste1842

(the) salt of the earth1842

the leisured class(es1848

japonicadom1851

countyocracy1859

masterclass1861

proprietariat1872

four hundred1888

the Establishment1923

gratin1934

power élite1942

U1954

upper1955

topside1958

1888 N.Y. Tribune 8 Apr. 5/1 Not all of ‘the 400’ have yet returned from the South.

1889 Cent. Mag. Apr. 857/2 Her sayings and doings were as much a part of tea and dinner table gossip as they would be if she lived today and belonged to the ‘four hundred’.

1895 Sun (N.Y.) 1 Feb. The term Four Hundred has no actual meaning. It is a general phrase which stands for an exclusive association of people who represent the very best Society in this city.

1906 M. E. W. Freeman Light of Soul 93 People in Edgham aped society, they even talked about the ‘four hundred’.

1948 Coronet Aug. 36/1 To social strivers she is Queen of the 400.

four-inch adj. that measures four inches, also elliptical = four inch rope.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [adjective] > relating to inch > that measures three, etc., inches

seven-inch1462

four-inched1608

twelve-inch1611

three-incha1616

one-inch1684

four-inch1840

society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [noun] > rope or cord > types of

sandwich1494

parchment lace1542

hempstring1573

sinnet1611

jackline1612

spun-yarn1627

sennit1769

Manila1826

four-inch1840

stropping1850

1840 F. Marryat Poor Jack xii. 74 Here's a good long piece of four-inch.

1858 G. Glenny Gardener's Every-day Bk. (new ed.) 254/1 Seedlings..must be pricked off into four-inch pots.

† four-inched adj. Obsolete four inches wide.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [adjective] > relating to inch > that measures three, etc., inches

seven-inch1462

four-inched1608

twelve-inch1611

three-incha1616

one-inch1684

four-inch1840

1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear xi. 50 To ride..ouer foure incht bridges.

four-lane-end n. (also four-lane-ends) dialect = four-crossway n.

ΚΠ

1787 Pegge in Archæol. VIII. 203 He being also anathematized, was interred at a four-lane-end without the city.

four-leaf clover n. a rare form of clover leaf having four leaflets, regarded as a lucky charm or sign of good fortune; cf. four-leaved adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > leguminous plants > [noun] > clover or trefoil

white clovereOE

cloverc1000

hare-foota1300

clerewort?a1400

clover-grassa1400

three-leaved grass14..

trefoilc1400

sucklingc1440

four-leaved grassc1450

trefle1510

Trifolium?1541

trinity grass1545

Dutch1548

lote1548

hare's-foot1562

lotus1562

triple grass1562

blain-grass1570

meadow trefoil1578

purple grass1597

purplewort1597

satin flower1597

cithyse1620

true-love grass?a1629

garden balsam1633

hop-clover1679

Burgundian hay1712

strawberry trefoil1731

honeysuckle trefoil1735

red clover1764

buffalo-clover1767

marl-grass1776

purple trefoil1785

white trefoil1785

yellow trefoil1785

sulla1787

cow-grass1789

strawberry-bearing trefoil1796

zigzag trefoil1796

rabbit's foot1817

lotus grass1820

strawberry-headed trefoil1822

mountain liquorice1836

hop-trefoil1855

clustered clover1858

alsike1881

mountain clover1882

knop1897

Swedish clover1908

sub clover1920

four-leaf clover1927

suckle-

the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [noun] > charm or amulet > for luck > specific

nicetery1652

horseshoe1665

rabbit's foot1680

pocket-piece1695

luck penny1703

luck money1820

caul1826

windbag1870

wind-knot1870

billiken1914

four-leaf clover1927

paho1979

1927 Melody Maker June 573/2 Nick Lucas is as good as ever in ‘I'm Looking Over aFour-Leaf Clover’.

1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren xi. 222 It is not usually considered enough merely to find a lucky object... The only exception seems to be the four-leaf clover, the discovery of which appears to be felt singular enough to be lucky in itself.

1985 N.Y. Times 31 Dec. a11/2 Parcells is superstitious and proud of it, and..he told of a four-leaf clover a dry-cleaner's delivery man had left intentionally in the coach's jacket pocket.

four-letter adj. consisting of four letters; applied esp. to any of several monosyllabic English words, referring to the sexual or excretory functions or organs of the human body, that are conventionally excluded from polite use; four-letter man, an obnoxious person.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > malediction > [adjective] > strong, sulphurous (of language)

untowen13..

largea1413

thundering1543

viperous1605

luscious1614

peppering1712

rough1750

unquotable1821

sulphurous1828

piercent1829

unrepeatable1831

bituminous1878

sultry1891

unprintable1898

four-letter1923

1923 J. Manchon Le Slang 265 Shit,..un type embêtant... L'euph. est four-letter-man.

1924 ‘J. Sutherland’ Circle of Stars xxiii. 236 Carter isn't that kind of a four letter man if he does soak.

1927 C. S. Lewis Let. 12 Dec. (1966) 122 Louis the Pious was ‘a man of blameless and virtuous habits’—tho' every other sentence in the chapter makes it clear that he was a four letter man.

1934 Amer. Speech 9 264/1 The obscene ‘four-letter words’ of the English language are not cant or slang or dialect, but belong to the oldest and best established element in the English vocabulary.

1934 Amer. Speech 9 267/1 For most people, the bare word forms of these four-letter words have become sexual fetishes.

1935 E. Hemingway Green Hills Afr. (1936) ii. iii. 97 Ashamed at having been a four-letter man about books.

1947 A. Huxley Let. 9 Mar. (1969) 568 She would bring him to amorous life again by re-assuming her cockney accent..going very nearly to the point of murmuring four-letter words into his ear.

1960 Times 7 Nov. 17/4 Having regard to the state of current writing, it seems that the prosecution against Lady Chatterley can only have been launched on the ground that the book contained so-called four-letter words.

1962 I. Murdoch Unofficial Rose xvii. 164 Felix regarded Randall as a four-letter man of the first order.

1969 N. Cohn Pop from Beginning xx. 188 He was heckled. Immediately, he exploded in a rash of four-letter words and the curtain came down.

† four-millioneer n. Obsolete one who is worth four millions of money.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > possession > wealth > [noun] > rich or wealthy person > person who has large amount of money

jingle-boya1640

four-millioneer1667

plum1709

millionary1786

millionaire1795

money bag1820

millionista1843

trimillionaire1848

multimillionaire1858

billionaire1861

millioner1865

trillionaire1873

quadrillionairea1876

thousandaire1896

milliardaire1897

multibillionaire1906

zillionaire1926

multi1950

mega-millionaire1968

squillionaire1979

1667 Third Advice in Second & Third Advice to Painter 28 Find out the Cheats of the four Millioneer.

four-minute mile n. a mile run by an athlete in four minutes or less (first achieved by R. Bannister in 1954).

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > racing on foot > [noun] > racing specific distance

dash1836

middle distance1885

marathon1896

miling1913

four-minute mile1955

ultra1977

ultra-running1978

ultra-run1986

1955 T. Sterling Evil of Day iv. 40 These people would believe I was going to die if they saw me running the four minute mile.

1958 Sunday Times 30 Nov. 38/6 His phenomenal series of four-minute miles.

1969 J. Wainwright Take-over Men i. 16 He broke the four-minute mile to position her chair.

four-minute miler n. an athlete who performs this feat; frequently used hyperbolically.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > racing on foot > [noun] > racing specific distance > runner

miler1838

sprinter1841

quarter-miler1893

marathoner1908

half-miler1959

four-minute miler1963

ultra-marathoner1978

ultra-runner1978

1963 Listener 31 Jan. 209/2 A 4-minute miler could take 3.6 seconds off his time under the influence of amphetamine.

four-nooked adj. four-cornered (obsolete exc. dialect).

ΘΚΠ

the world > space > shape > angularity > [adjective] > abounding in corners > having specific number of corners

four-nookedc1275

three-nookeda1616

nine-cornered1809

the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adjective] > quadrilateral

four-nookedc1275

four-hernedc1290

quadrangular?a1425

four-corneredc1440

quadrangle1494

quadrivial1540

quadrangled1552

quadrilater?a1560

tetragonal1571

quadrangulate1592

quadranguled1592

quadrilateral1606

four-corner1640

tetragon1794

c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 10978 Feower-noked [c1300 Otho four-nokede] he is and þer-inne is feower kunnes fisc.

c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. vii. xviii. f. 93/1 The mone beand in opposition (quhen it is maist round) apperit suddanly as it war foure nukit.

1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby Four-neuk'd, square or four-cornered.

four-oar n. a boat rowed with four oars.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [noun] > rowing boat > for specific number of rowers

a pair of oars1598

ten1642

four-oar1844

pair-oar1853

six-oar1856

two-oar1857

four1861

sixern1866

gig-pair1869

pair1885

eight1898

1844 Earl of Malmesbury Mem. Ex-Minister (1884) I. 154 We then returned home in the four-oar.

four-oared adj. propelled by four oars or oarsmen; also absol. (= four-oared boat).

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [adjective] > for specific number of rowers

four-oared1685

pair-oared1879

1685 London Gaz. No. 2023/4 A six Oared Barge..and a four Oared Boat.

1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations III. xv. 249 If we had seen a four-oared galley going up with the tide.

1870 G. W. Dasent Ann. Eventful Life I. 141 Leaving the boat-hook of a four-oared, which I steered.

four-part adj. Music composed for four parts or voices.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > [adjective] > in parts

broken1609

four-part1664

in terza1724

concerted1824

two-part1854

1664 S. Pepys Diary 27 Nov. (1971) V. 332 We sung..Ravenscrofts four-part psalms.

1890 E. Prout Counterpoint 143 Four-part counterpoint.

four paws n. U.S. Logging (see quot. 1905).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > lumbering > [noun] > lumbering equipment > means of securing logs

logging-chain1825

swifter1870

boom-chain1883

wrapper1901

catpiece1905

four paws1905

1905 Terms Forestry & Logging (Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric., Bureau Forestry, No. 61) 35 Double couplers, two coupling grabs joined by a short cable, used for fastening logs together. Syn.: four paws.

1957 Brit. Commonw. Forest Terminol.: Pt. II (Empire Forestry Assoc.) ii. 76 Four paws,..used for fastening a skidding chain or cable to large logs.

four-place adj. = four-figure adj. (b).

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > fraction > [adjective] > number of digits or decimal places

four-figure1842

four-place1888

1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 13/1 A four-place table.

1927 Carey & Grace (title) Four-place mathematical tables with forced decimals.

four-point assay n. Chemistry (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > chemistry > chemical assay or analytical chemistry > [noun] > acetimetry > assay

Marsh test1837

four-point assay1940

radioassay1945

1940 A. L. Bacharach et al. in Biochem. Jrnl. XXXIV. 1464 The comparison of activity with that of a stable standard preparation..can be done by means of the ‘four-point assay’; two doses of the standard and two doses of test material are used.

four-point bearing n. Nautical (see quot. 1948).

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > [noun] > position > bearing

departure1699

cross-bearings1809

four-point bearing1927

1927 G. Bradford Gloss. Sea Terms 19/1 Bow and beam bearing..is also called a four point bearing.

1948 R. de Kerchove Internat. Maritime Dict. 278/2 Four-point bearing, the simplest and most commonly used method of determining the distance off a terrestrial object when coasting. The object is observed when it is four points (45°) on the bow and again when it is abeam.

four-post adj. (of a bedstead) having four posts (to support a canopy and curtains).

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > bed > types of bed > [adjective]

softOE

high post1809

four-posta1818

unslept1864

queen-size1959

orthopaedic1976

a1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. India Proprietor (1834) 110 I saw none without a four-post bedstead and plenty of bedclothes.

four-posted adj. (of a bedstead) having four posts (to support a canopy and curtains).

ΚΠ

1823 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto VI xxv. 13 Beds, Four-posted and silk curtained.

1856 J. W. Carlyle Lett. II. 285 I expect to sleep in my great comfortable four-posted bed.

four-poster n. a four-posted bedstead.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > bed > parts of bed > [noun] > bedstead > other types

field bedstead1586

lath-bedstead1806

angareb1835

four-poster1836

twin bedstead1900

1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. II. 3 His small French bedstead was converted into a regular matrimonial four-poster.

four-pounder n. (a) a gun to carry a four-pound shot; (b) a loaf four pounds in weight.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > guns by weight of shot > of specific weight of shot

fifteen-pounder1684

four-pounder1684

hundred-pounder1684

six-pounder1684

three-pounder1684

ten-pounder1695

nine-pounder1713

seven-pounder1762

long nine1780

half-pounder1800

twelve-pounder1801

sices1804

twelve1804

one-pounder1811

eighteen1834

eighteen-pounder1866

the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > bread > loaf > [noun] > loaves of specific weight

peck-loafa1627

quartern loaf?1711

assize loaf1762

prized loaf1762

quartern1843

four-pounder1855

sixer1877

1684 J. P. von Valcaren Relation Siege Vienna 109 Four Pounders.

1855 E. C. Gaskell North & South I. xvii. 211 I ha' gone and bought a four-pounder out o' another baker's shop to common on such days.

1876 G. Bancroft Hist. U.S. (rev. ed.) IV. xxv. 573 It was boarded by the provincials, who carried off four four-pounders and twelve swivels.

four-rowed adj. (of barley) having four rows of awns.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [adjective] > of barley plant

hordeaceous1854

four-rowed1882

1882 J. Hardy in Hist. Berwickshire Naturalists' Club 9 No. 3. 444 It might have been once used for husking big, or four-rowed barley.

four-seater n. a car with seating accommodation for four people, also attributive.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > motor car > [noun] > car according to number of seats

two- (three-, etc.) seater1906

four-seater1909

1909 Westm. Gaz. 16 Nov. 4/2 The famous 15-h.p. four-seater touring-car.

1922 Times 20 June 8/5 The increased convenience and comfort of a four-seater.

four-shilling adj. that costs four shillings (in quot., †of beer, 4s. the barrel).

ΚΠ

1633Four-shilling [see sense B. 3a].

four-spot n. a four of a suit in cards.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others

twoa1500

cater1519

single ten1595

ten1595

eight1598

four1599

nine1599

six1599

seven1656

deuce1674

five1674

trey1680

spot1830

four-spot1878

two-spot1885

five-spot1913

ten-spot ladybird-

1878 B. F. Taylor Between Gates 193 We are a four-spot of dirty spades.

1920 C. E. Mulford Johnny Nelson x. 100 I'm layin' down as fine a pair of four-spots as I've ever held.

four-star adj. designating a (high) rank in a grading system for hotels, etc., usually with four or five grades; also transferred, of a high degree of excellence.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective]

faireOE

bremea1000

goodlyOE

goodfulc1275

noblec1300

pricec1300

specialc1325

gentlec1330

fine?c1335

singulara1340

thrivena1350

thriven and throa1350

gaya1375

properc1380

before-passinga1382

daintiful1393

principala1398

gradelya1400

burlyc1400

daintyc1400

thrivingc1400

voundec1400

virtuousc1425

hathelc1440

curiousc1475

singlerc1500

beautiful1502

rare?a1534

gallant1539

eximious1547

jolly1548

egregious?c1550

jellyc1560

goodlike1562

brawc1565

of worth1576

brave?1577

surprising1580

finger-licking1584

admirablea1586

excellinga1586

ambrosial1598

sublimated1603

excellent1604

valiant1604

fabulous1609

pure1609

starryc1610

topgallant1613

lovely1614

soaringa1616

twanging1616

preclarent1623

primea1637

prestantious1638

splendid1644

sterling1647

licking1648

spankinga1666

rattling1690

tearing1693

famous1695

capital1713

yrare1737

pure and —1742

daisy1757

immense1762

elegant1764

super-extra1774

trimming1778

grand1781

gallows1789

budgeree1793

crack1793

dandy1794

first rate1799

smick-smack1802

severe1805

neat1806

swell1810

stamming1814

divine1818

great1818

slap-up1823

slapping1825

high-grade1826

supernacular1828

heavenly1831

jam-up1832

slick1833

rip-roaring1834

boss1836

lummy1838

flash1840

slap1840

tall1840

high-graded1841

awful1843

way up1843

exalting1844

hot1845

ripsnorting1846

clipping1848

stupendous1848

stunning1849

raving1850

shrewd1851

jammy1853

slashing1854

rip-staving1856

ripping1858

screaming1859

up to dick1863

nifty1865

premier cru1866

slap-bang1866

clinking1868

marvellous1868

rorty1868

terrific1871

spiffing1872

all wool and a yard wide1882

gorgeous1883

nailing1883

stellar1883

gaudy1884

fizzing1885

réussi1885

ding-dong1887

jim-dandy1888

extra-special1889

yum-yum1890

out of sight1891

outasight1893

smooth1893

corking1895

large1895

super1895

hot dog1896

to die for1898

yummy1899

deevy1900

peachy1900

hi1901

v.g.1901

v.h.c.1901

divvy1903

doozy1903

game ball1905

goodo1905

bosker1906

crackerjack1910

smashinga1911

jake1914

keen1914

posh1914

bobby-dazzling1915

juicy1916

pie on1916

jakeloo1919

snodger1919

whizz-bang1920

wicked1920

four-star1921

wow1921

Rolls-Royce1922

whizz-bang1922

wizard1922

barry1923

nummy1923

ripe1923

shrieking1926

crazy1927

righteous1930

marvy1932

cool1933

plenty1933

brahmaa1935

smoking1934

solid1935

mellow1936

groovy1937

tough1937

bottler1938

fantastic1938

readyc1938

ridge1938

super-duper1938

extraordinaire1940

rumpty1940

sharp1940

dodger1941

grouse1941

perfecto1941

pipperoo1945

real gone1946

bosting1947

supersonic1947

whizzo1948

neato1951

peachy-keen1951

ridgey-dite1953

ridgy-didge1953

top1953

whizzing1953

badass1955

wild1955

belting1956

magic1956

bitching1957

swinging1958

ridiculous1959

a treat1959

fab1961

bad-assed1962

uptight1962

diggish1963

cracker1964

marv1964

radical1964

bakgat1965

unreal1965

pearly1966

together1968

safe1970

bad1971

brilliant1971

fabby1971

schmick1972

butt-kicking1973

ripper1973

Tiffany1973

bodacious1976

rad1976

kif1978

awesome1979

death1979

killer1979

fly1980

shiok1980

stonking1980

brill1981

dope1981

to die1982

mint1982

epic1983

kicking1983

fabbo1984

mega1985

ill1986

posho1989

pukka1991

lovely jubbly1992

awesomesauce2001

nang2002

bess2006

amazeballs2009

boasty2009

daebak2009

beaut2013

1921 Automobile Assoc. Ann. Rep. 4 Upwards of 2,000 firms carry the official appointment of the Association. During the past year the work of inspecting and appointing, on a ‘four-star’ classification basis, has continued.

1952 E. Grierson Reputation for Song xvii. 138 The ‘Golden Fleece’..was a four-star hotel.

1958 K. Amis I like it Here xiii. 155 A four-star monastery with chanting and flagellation.

1959 Sunday Express 21 June 6/6 Oscar Heinrich's life is four-star reading for anyone who [etc.].

1968 Listener 1 Aug. 159/1 No one has ever shown that a car which will run happily, without pinking, on, say, four-star petrol will run any better—faster, or more economically—on five-star.

1970 Daily Tel. 30 June 3/1 Ladbroke's, the bookmakers, announced yesterday that they are going to build a four-star hotel in the centre of Leeds.

four-starred adj.

ΚΠ

1950 A. Christie Murder is Announced viii. 85 George, it's my own particular, one and only, four starred Pussy. The super Pussy of all old Pussies.

four-strand adj. (of a rope) having four strands.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [adjective] > made of rope or cord > types of

twine1513

twice-laid1592

basten1677

cable-laid1723

hawser-laid1769

water-laid1795

registered1800

shroud-laid1800

whale-laid1812

strap-laid1839

four-strand1867

locked-coil1885

trifilar1903

1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. at Ropes Four-strand is..laid with four strands, and a core scarcely twisted.

four-tailed bandage n. (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > healing > medical appliances or equipment > bandage > [noun] > bandage of specific shape

cancer1706

capeline1706

spica1731

abnet1797

cravat1836

four-tailed bandage1844

figure of eight bandage1871

1844 R. D. Hoblyn Dict. Terms Med. & Collateral Sci. (ed. 2) Four-tailed bandage, a bandage for the forehead, face and jaws.

four thieves' vinegar n. (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > food > additive > acid or tart flavouring > [noun] > vinegar > types of

alegara1425

red vinegarc1475

beeregara1500

white wine vinegar1527

red wine vinegar1596

wine-vinegara1617

beer-vinegara1668

vinegar beer1677

vinegar-powder1753

chilli-vinegar1818

rice vinegar1821

wood-vinegar1837

sugar-vinegar1839

mint vinegar1845

tarragon vinegar1845

cider vinegar1851

Orleansa1857

wood-acid1858

four thieves' vinegar1868

balsamic vinegar1982

1868 Paxton's Bot. Dict. Four thieves' vinegar, a preparation from Rosmarinus officinalis.

four-tooth n. (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > genus Ovus > [noun] > Ovus Aries (domestic sheep) > defined by age > two years old

twinter1404

hoggerel1530

two-shear1788

four-tooth1793

bident1881

1793–1813 Agric. Surv. Dorset (E.D.S.) 8 Four-tooth, a two-year-old sheep.

four-vector n. [after German Vierervektor (A. Sommerfeld 1910, in Ann. d. Physik 4th Ser. XXXII. 750)] Mathematics a vector defined by four scalar components, esp. a space-time vector in the theory of relativity.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > number > mathematical number or quantity > tensor > [noun] > vector > specific type of

R1675

radius vector1740

spin vector1882

axial vector1903

polar vector1903

free vector1904

position vector1906

four-vector1914

pseudovector1922

row vector1928

1914 L. Silberstein Theory of Relativity v. 148 The length, thus defined, of a four-vector may be either real, or purely imaginary, or nil, according as we have..a space~like, a time-like, or a singular vector.

1952 E. G. Ramberg tr. A. J. W. Sommerfeld Electrodynam. iii. 213 The four-vector attains a meaning in the four-dimensional world which is independent of the choice of the coordinate system.

1968 Physics Bull. Nov. 370/2 The four-vector potential of the electromagnetic field.

four-walled adj. having or enclosed within four walls.

ΘΚΠ

society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restraint depriving of liberty > confinement > [adjective]

narroweOE

narrowOE

confininga1616

incarcerating1743

four-walled1905

the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > enclosing or enclosure > [adjective] > enclosed > by walls

walledc1000

walled-in1777

vallated1888

four-walled1905

1905 Daily Chron. 18 Aug. 3/7 A four-walled prison life.

1908 C. W. Wallace Children of Chapel 7 The four-walled coach-court of the public inn.

four walls n. the walls of a room or a house; hence, allusively, in reference to confinement within the limits of a (small) building.

ΘΚΠ

society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > wall of building > [noun] > collectively

wallc900

four walls1849

society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restraint depriving of liberty > confinement > [noun] > action of > that which

cancels1596

four walls1849

1834 tr. V. Jacquemont Lett. from India I. 156 I was much more comfortable under it..than within four naked walls.]

1849 N. P. Willis Rural Lett. 17 Between five in the morning and ‘flower-shut’ I feel as if four walls and a ceiling would stop my breath.

1922 ‘E. Percy’ (title) If four walls told.

1930 Harrison & Cartwright (title) Within four walls.

four-way n. (also four-ways) = four-crossway n.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > junction of roads, paths, or tracks > [noun] > cross-roads

carfax1357

carfour1477

cross1546

cross-way?1556

quatervois?1575

four-way1598

four-crosswaya1645

crossing1695

four-went way(s1777

cross-road1812

cross-street1825

intersectiona1864

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Quadriuio, a fower-way, a way that hath fower turnings, a place where fower waies meete.

1891 ‘H. Haliburton’ Ochil Idylls 72 Peasants flock in from the fields to the four-ways.

four-way adj. (in four-way cock or four-way valve) having communication with four pipes.

ΘΚΠ

society > occupation and work > equipment > other specific types of equipment > [adjective] > types of tap

four-way1824

washerless1908

1824 ‘R. Stuart’ Descr. Hist. Steam Engine 161 A considerable improvement on the fourway-cock.

1841 S. C. Brees Gloss. Civil Engin. Four-way Cock..a description of valve..for passing the steam to the cylinder; it was invented by Leopold in about the year 1720.

four-winged adj. having four wings or wing-like appendages.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > fruit or reproductive product > [adjective] > indehiscent or like an achene

four-wingeda1711

nucamentaceous1829

samaroid1830

indehiscent1832

pseudospermic1835

nucamentous1840

pseudo-spermous1849

tetrapterous1860

achenial1863

cypselous1878

schizocarpous1905

the world > animals > animal body > general parts > body and limbs > [adjective] > relating to limbs > relating to wings or fins > having wings or fins > having four wings

four-wingeda1711

a1711 T. Ken Urania in Wks. (1721) IV. 457 She'll strive to soar as high, As four-wing'd Seraphs fly.

1761 J. Ellis in Philos. Trans. 1760 (Royal Soc.) 51 931 They are followed by pretty large four-winged fruit.

1878 F. J. Bell & E. R. Lankester tr. C. Gegenbaur Elements Compar. Anat. 248 In the other four-winged orders.

four-wings n. (see quot.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars, etc.) > [noun] > family Caprimulgidae > miscellaneous types of

poorwill1862

four-wings1889

1889 Cent. Dict. Four-wings, a name of the goatsuckers or night-jars of the genera Macrodipteryx and Cosmetornis, in which some of the flight-feathers are so much elongated that the birds seem to have four wings.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	four
释义	fouradj.n. Brit. /fɔː/, U.S. /fɔr/ Forms: early Old English feawer (Northumbrian), early Old English fier- (in compounds, in transcript of lost MS), early Old English fiowær (Kentish), Old English feoer- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English feouer (Northumbrian), Old English feowor, Old English feowr- (inflected form), Old English feowyr (rare), Old English feuer (Northumbrian), Old English feuoer (Northumbrian), Old English feuor (Northumbrian), Old English fewer (Northumbrian), Old English fewoer (Northumbrian), Old English fewor- (Northumbrian, inflected form), Old English fewr (Northumbrian), Old English fiower, Old English fouuer (in transcript of lost MS), Old English fyower (rare), Old English fyuwer (rare), Old English fywer- (in compounds), Old English–early Middle English feor, Old English (rare)–early Middle English feorwer, Old English (Northumbrian)–early Middle English feour, Old English–early Middle English feower, Old English–early Middle English feowur, Old English (rare)–early Middle English fuwer, late Old English fæouer, late Old English feowær, late Old English fowor, late Old English–1600s fower, late Old English– four, early Middle English fefor, early Middle English feofer, early Middle English feorfer, early Middle English feouwer, early Middle English feowere, early Middle English feowre, early Middle English feowwer (in copy of Old English charter), early Middle English feur (south-west midlands), early Middle English feuwer (in copy of Old English charter), early Middle English for, early Middle English fouwer, early Middle English fowere, early Middle English fowir, early Middle English fowuer, early Middle English fowwerr ( Ormulum), early Middle English fowwre ( Ormulum), early Middle English frou (transmission error), early Middle English fufer- (in compounds), early Middle English fuȝer, early Middle English fure, early Middle English furwer- (in compounds), early Middle English fuwuer, early Middle English uor (south-west midlands), early Middle English uour (Kent), early Middle English vour (west midlands), early Middle English voure (west midlands), Middle English faur (northern), Middle English faure (chiefly north midlands and northern), Middle English fawre (north midlands and northern), Middle English foer (in copy of Old English charter), Middle English (in a late copy) 1500s–1600s fovre, Middle English 1600s ffour, Middle English–1600s ffoure, Middle English–1600s fore, Middle English–1600s fouer, Middle English–1600s foure, Middle English–1600s fovr, Middle English–1600s fowr, Middle English–1600s fowre, 1500s foore, 1500s foour, 1600s ffower; English regional 1800s foor (midlands and East Anglian), 1800s–1900s fower (northern, midlands, and East Anglian), 1800s–1900s vower (south-western); Scottish pre-1700 fauir, pre-1700 foir, pre-1700 fore, pre-1700 fouer, pre-1700 fouir, pre-1700 foure, pre-1700 fouyr, pre-1700 fowir, pre-1700 fowr, pre-1700 fowyr, pre-1700 1700s– four, pre-1700 1800s– fower, pre-1700 1800s– fowre, 1900s– fuwr (rare); Irish English 1800s vour (Wexford), 1800s voure (Wexford), 1800s– fower (northern); N.E.D (1897) also records the forms early Middle English fewer, early Middle English foor, early Middle English foour, early Middle English fur. Also represented by the numerical symbols 4, iv, IV, iiii (now rare), and IIII (now rare). Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian fiūwer, fiōr (West Frisian fjouwer, East Frisian fēr), Old Dutch fier- (in place names; Middle Dutch, Dutch vier), Old Saxon fiuwar, fior (Middle Low German vēr), Old High German fior, fier (Middle High German, German vier), Old Icelandic fjórir, Old Swedish fiurir, fyure (Swedish fyra), Old Danish fiuræ, firæ (Danish fire), Gothic fidwor < an Indo-European base also reflected by Sanskrit catvāraḥ (nominative of catur), Avestan čaθβārō, Mycenaean Greek qe-to-ro- (ancient Greek (Ionian) τέσσαρες, (Doric) τέτορες, (Aeolian) πέσσυρες, (Attic) τέτταρες), classical Latin quattuor, Oscan petora, Gaulish petuar- (attested only in petuarios fourth), Early Irish cethair, Old Welsh petguar (Welsh pedwar), Armenian čork^c, Tocharian A śtwar, Tocharian B śtwer, Old Church Slavonic četyre, Lithuanian keturi, Albanian katër.The Indo-European word for the numeral ‘four’ was originally inflected for case and gender, and systems of inflection survive to varying degrees in the early stages of several of the attested languages, including Old English. Germanic phonology. Several aspects of the phonological development of the Germanic form are not entirely clear. The initial f- (instead of expected hw- ) has variously been explained as showing a sporadic phonological development, or as showing analogical influence from the Germanic base of five adj. (or its later reflexes). In the primary form of the cardinal numeral, only Gothic fidwor preserves the internal dental. In the North Germanic languages, the dental was apparently lost by regular processes. In the West Germanic languages, the loss of the dental is more difficult to explain, and various explanations have been offered. A recent hypothesis is that it results from a rare sound change in West Germanic whereby voiced coronal fricatives were assimilated to a following w . Combining form. Compare also (with surviving dental) the combining form Old English (West Saxon) fiþer- , (Anglian) feoðor- (in e.g. fiþerdǣled having four parts, fourfold, feoðorfald fourfold), cognate with Frankish fitter- (in fitterthuschunde four thousand (in the Malberg glosses); perhaps an error for fitther- ), Old Icelandic fer-* (in e.g. ferfaldr fourfold; reflecting earlier feðr- ), Old Swedish fiäþer-* (in e.g. fiäþertiugher having forty (of something)), Gothic fidur- (in e.g. fidurfalþs fourfold; compare Crimean Gothic fyder four) < the same Indo-European base as the combining forms Sanskrit catur- , Avestan čaθru- , Mycenaean Greek qe-to-ro- (ancient Greek τετρα- ; compare tetra- comb. form), classical Latin quadru- , Gaulish petru- (with both compare quadru- comb. form), all ultimately reflecting a variant stem (with different ablaut in the second syllable: zero-grade), which is also regularly found in the oblique cases of the underlying Indo-European paradigm. This combining form occasionally survives into early Middle English; compare fetherfooted adj. Inflection in Old English. Already in Old English the word is frequently uninflected, especially when it immediately precedes a noun it modifies. But it may show plural inflection, as e.g. masculine nominative plural fēowere, dative plural fēowerum, fēowrum, etc. The cardinal numeral next after three, represented by the symbols 4 or iv. A. adj. 1. a. With modified noun expressed. the four corners, quarters, etc. (of the earth, heavens or world): the remotest parts; see corner n.¹ 8 the four corners (of a document): the limits or scope of its contents; see corner n.¹ 1e within the four seas: within the boundaries of Great Britain. †of all four sides: entirely, thoroughly. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [noun] fourOE quaternaryc1450 cater1553 quaternion1768 rouf1950 the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] fourOE the world > relative properties > wholeness > completeness > completely [phrase] > thoroughly well-a-finec1330 well and truly1348 well and finec1430 of all four sides1490 à fond1813 all to splinters1884 OE Crist III 878 Þonne from feowerum foldan sceatum, þam ytemestum eorþan rices, englas æbeorhte on efen blawað byman on brehtme. c1175 Lamb. Hom. 159 Þas fure kunnes teres boð þe fuwer wateres þa þe beoð ihaten us on to weschen. a1225 Juliana 9 Þa leaden him i cure up o fowr hweoles. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2570 Com þa tiðende to þan feouwer [c1300 Otho four] kinggen. þat Belin king wes icumen. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 14241 Mari and martha..þai had ben wepand þar four dais. 1490 W. Caxton tr. Foure Sonnes of Aymon (1885) vi. 151 Reynawde is well a noble gentylman of all foure sides. c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 8808 Þen þos maisters gert make..Fovre lampis full light..all of gold fyne. c1600 Wriothesley's Chron. Eng. (1875) I. 19 A rich canapie of cloath of silver borne over her heade by the fower Lordes of the Portes. 1642 T. Fuller Holy State v. i. 359 So be it he goeth not out beyond the Foure-seas. 1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 156 They fired four Guns as Signals of Distress. 1886 E. Lynn Linton Paston Carew iii He..was the safest confidant to be found within the four seas. 1893 Law Times 95 29/2 It may be necessary to look beyond the four corners of the agreement. b. four corners n. a game: see quots. Also, in Horse Riding (see quot. 1753). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > ninepins or ten-pins > [noun] kaylesc1325 skaylesa1566 ninepins1580 pin1580 skittles1634 kittle-pins1649 skayle-pins1656 nine pegs1675 four corners1730 Dutch pins1801 Dutch rubbers1801 long bowling1801 ten-pins1807 squails1847 ten-pin bowling1934 society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > [noun] > art of horse-riding > move in voltes > specific four corners1730 1730 N. Bailey et al. Dictionarium Britannicum Four Corners, (with Horsemen) to work a horse upon 4 corners, is in imagination to divide the volt or round into 4 quarters; and when he has done so upon each of these quarters the horse makes a round or two at trot or gallop, and when he has done so upon each quarter, he is said to have made the four quarters. 1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Four-corners, in the manege, or to work upon the four corners, is to divide in imagination the volt or round into four quarters, so that upon each of these quarters, the horse makes a round or two at trot or gallop; and when he has done so upon each quarter, he has made the four corners. 1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod iii. vii. 241 Four-corners is so called from four large pins which are placed singly at each angle of a square frame. 1881 H. Smith & C. R. Smith Isle of Wight Words 64 The game of Skittles is also altered from nine pins to four, and is called ‘Four Corners’. c. the history of the Four Kings (see quot.). ΚΠ 1760 S. Foote Minor i. 32 Come, shall we have a dip in the history of the Four Kings, this morning? 1895 E. C. Brewer Dict. Phrase & Fable (rev. ed.) The History of the Four Kings (Livre des Quatre Rois), a pack of cards. 2. a. With ellipsis of the noun, which may usually be supplied from context. †four for four: in fours. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adverb] > by or in fours by fourthsc1430 in fours and fours1488 four for four1535 in fours1890 c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 2019 Feowere here weren riche þe haueden ferden muchele. c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 938 Þe aungelez..enforsed alle fawre forth at þe ȝatez. 1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 201 Syne four for four togidder than tha fuir, And sone all aucht. 1611 Bible (King James) 2 Sam. xxi. 22 These foure..fell by the hand of Dauid. View more context for this quotation a1699 A. Halkett Autobiogr. (1875) 53 All Fowre were in the place apointed. b. with omission of hours, as four o'clock. ΘΚΠ the world > time > particular time > [noun] > the time or time of day > specific times of day nooneOE undernc1122 ninec1425 one1435 three o'clockc1460 twelve?1482 twelve hours?a1513 four o'clock?1578 six o'clock1693 quarter1871 kissing time1875 ?1578 W. Patten Let. Entertainm. Killingwoorth 38 (Az vnhappy it waz for the bryde) that cam thyther too soon, (& yet waz it a four a clok). 1713 J. Swift Part of 7th Epist. Horace Imitated 7 I shall think of that no more, If you'll be sure to come at Four. 1875 W. S. Jevons Money (1878) 266 The bustle and turmoil of the work grow to a climax at four o'clock. c. with omission of horses. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > horse defined by purpose used for > [noun] > draught-horse > that pulls vehicle > team of four four1815 1815 L. Simond Jrnl. Tour Great Brit. I. 3 An elegant post-chaise and four stopped at the door. 1858 J. W. Carlyle Lett. II. 363 As pleasant as a barouche and four. †d. on (also upon) four: on all fours (see all fours n. 1). Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > progressive motion > moving along with hands and feet or with body prone > [phrase] > on all fours on four1430 1430–40 J. Lydgate tr. Bochas Fall of Princes i. ix. 37 What thyng..Goth fyrst on foure, or els gothe he nought? 1722 Coll. Misc. Lett. Mist's Weekly Jrnl. I. 294 An old black Horse, that can scarce crawl upon Four. 3. Coupled with a higher cardinal or ordinal numeral following, so as to form a compound (cardinal or ordinal) numeral. ΚΠ c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1047 [Brutus] hæfde þis lond fower [c1300 Otho four] and twenti winter. on his hond. 1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) xii. xi. 421 Amonge foules oonly the rauen hath fowre and syxty chaungynges of voyce. 1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 416 The foure and thirtieth Chapter sheweth the vse of the Masse. 1818 W. Scott Heart of Mid-Lothian vii, in Tales of my Landlord 2nd Ser. I. 194 My breath is growing as scant as a broken-winded piper's, when he has played for four-and-twenty hours at a penny wedding. B. n. 1. a. The abstract number four. ΚΠ a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xix. cxviii. 1358 Oon ydo to þre makeþ foure. a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 21748 O four and thre qua tels euen, He sal þe numbre mak o seuen. 1837 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. I. 62 Four..was held to be the most perfect number. b. The figure (4) denoting this number. 2. A set of four persons or things: esp. a. A card, domino, or the side of a die marked with four pips or spots; a throw of the die by which the ‘four’ comes uppermost. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others twoa1500 cater1519 single ten1595 ten1595 eight1598 four1599 nine1599 six1599 seven1656 deuce1674 five1674 trey1680 spot1830 four-spot1878 two-spot1885 five-spot1913 ten-spot ladybird- society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > dice-playing > [noun] > throw > (throw of) specific number ace?a1300 cinquec1386 sicec1386 sice cinquec1386 treyc1386 quernc1450 ames-acec1460 cater-trey?a1500 twoa1500 cater1519 deuce1519 quatrec1540 trey-acea1556 sice-ace1594 four1599 size-point1648 trey-deuce1680 boxcar1909 trey-point- 1599 J. Minsheu Pleasant Dialogues Spanish & Eng. iii. 26 in R. Percyvall & J. Minsheu Spanish Gram. R. I did lift an Ace.—L. I a foure. 1674 C. Cotton Compl. Gamester vi. 80 The Deuces, Treys, Fours, and Fives. 1729 J. Swift Jrnl. Dublin Lady 7 When Lady Tricksy play'd a Four You took it with a Matadore. ?1870 F. Hardy & J. R. Ware Mod. Hoyle 81 Suppose your hand consists of a four, five, and six of spades. b. Cards (Poker). A set of four cards of the same value. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > combinations of cards cater-trey?a1500 mournival1530 sequence1575 pair royal1608 septieme1651 tierce1659 pair1674 purtaunte1688 quart major1718 matrimonya1743 queen-suit1744 quart1746 prial1776 flux1798 fredon1798 tricon1798 intrigue1830 straight1841 marriage1861 under-sequence1863 straight five1864 double pair-royal?1870 run?1870 short suit1876 four1883 fourchette1885 meld1887 doubleton1906 canasta1948 1883 Longman's Mag. Sept. 499 Fours, or four [cards] of a kind. 1894 J. N. Maskelyne ‘Sharps & Flats’ 84 If he had been so fortunate as to possess another ace among the cards..he would have a ‘four’. c. A four-oared boat or a crew of four oarsmen. fours, races for four-oared boats. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [noun] > rowing boat > for specific number of rowers a pair of oars1598 ten1642 four-oar1844 pair-oar1853 six-oar1856 two-oar1857 four1861 sixern1866 gig-pair1869 pair1885 eight1898 society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > rower or oarsman > crew of 4- or 8-oared boat eight1847 four1861 trial eight1873 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > boat racing or race > [noun] > types of rowing race torpid1838 bumping race1842 row-over1866 sculls1878 May1879 Lents1886 fours1891 getting-on race1892 row-off1893 re-row1901 tub-race1903 bumper1906 bump1923 bumps race1927 head race1953 1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations liv, in All Year Round 13 July 364/1 A Four and two sitters..up with one tide and down with another. 1891 Outdoor Games & Recreat. 137 He must graduate through his college fours, and Torpid races. 1891 Outdoor Games & Recreat. 144 The ‘Coxswainless Fours’, These ‘Fours’..are inter-collegiate races. d. Cricket, etc. A hit for which four runs are scored. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > [noun] > types of stroke > for specific number of runs seven1765 four1837 single1851 five1859 sevener1862 sixer1870 fourer1875 two1881 twoer1887 thirteener1893 six1920 Dorothy Dix1979 1837 Bell's Life in London 28 May Notwithstanding little Lillywhite bowled admirably, they kept getting threes, fours, and fives. 1894 A. Lang Ban & Arrière Ban 67 When Oxford's bowling always goes For ‘fours’, for ever to the Cords. e. plural. (See quot. 1888.) Also in fours (formerly †in fours and fours), arranged in groups of four; spec. in Bibliography used to indicate the number of leaves in a sheet or gathering. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adverb] > by or in fours by fourthsc1430 in fours and fours1488 four for four1535 in fours1890 society > communication > book > kind of book > size of book > [noun] > quarto volume quarto1642 Q1863 in-quarto1865 four1888 1488 in T. Dickson Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1877) I. 84 Item, a frete or the Quenis oure set with grete perle sett in fouris and fouris. 1888 C. T. Jacobi Printers' Vocab. 47 Fours, a familiar term used by compositors for ‘quarto’. 1890 H. O. Sommer Malory's Arthur II. Introd. 9 The first part has signatures A to Z..in fours. f. The four players of a game, esp. of Bridge. Also figurative. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > player or players four1895 bridge player1899 bridger1901 palooka1934 1895 R. Kipling in Cent. Mag. Dec. 269/1 Can't I get him to make up a four at tennis with the Hammon girls? 1905 H. A. Vachell Hill vii. 144 Bridge... We could get up a four in this house. 1924 C. Mackenzie Old Men of Sea vii. 113 Cosway was called away to make up a four at bridge. 1971 Times 9 Aug. 4 A four in the East-West bridge game. 3. Short for: a. four-shilling beer (see quot). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > beer > [noun] > other kinds of beer spruce beerc1500 March beer1535 Lubecks beer1608 zythum1608 household beer1616 bottle1622 mumc1623 old beer1626 six1631 four1633 maize beer1663 mum beer1667 vinegar beer1677 wrest-beer1689 nog1693 October1705 October beer1707 ship-beer1707 butt beer1730 starting beer1735 butt1743 peterman1767 seamen's beer1795 chang1800 treacle beer1806 stock beer1826 Iceland beer1828 East India pale ale1835 India pale ale1837 faro1847 she-oak1848 Bass1849 bitter beer1850 bock1856 treble X1856 Burton1861 nettle beer1864 honey beer1867 pivo1873 Lambic1889 steam beer1898 barley-beer1901 gueuze1926 Kriek1936 best1938 rough1946 keg1949 IPA1953 busaa1967 mbege1972 microbrew1985 microbeer1986 yeast-beer- 1633 Match at Mid-night ii. sig. E^v Tim. What is't brother foure or sixe? Alex. Foure or sixe, 'tis rich Canary... Tim... Now I thinke on't, A cup of this is better then our foure shilling Beere at home. b. four-pennyworth (of spirits). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > distilled drink > [noun] > specific quantity of dramc1590 leaguer1712 finger1820 glassful1841 four1869 nip1869 half1888 two1894 snifter1910 treble1968 balloon1973 triple1981 peg2003 1869 E. Yates Wrecked in Port II. ix. 209 ‘Fours’ of rum, and ‘sixes’ of brandy. 1876 W. Besant & J. Rice Golden Butterfly I. i. 49 The girl..set before him a ‘four’ of brandy and the cold water. c. (plural) four-percents. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > stock > of the national debt fives1847 threes1850 four1887 1887 Daily News 15 Nov. 5/6 Fully-paid-up stock..in exchange for the converted Fours and Four-and-a-Halfs. d. plural (in form fourses). A light meal taken in the fields at four o'clock in the afternoon. local. Cf. bever n. 3. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > light meal or snacks nuncheonc1260 morsela1382 refection?a1439 mixtumc1490 bever1500 banquet1509 collation1525 snatch1570 beverage1577 a little something1577 anders-meat1598 four-hours1637 watering1637 refreshment1639 snap1642 luncheona1652 crib1652 prandicle1656 munchin1657 baita1661 unch1663 afternooning1678 whet1688 nacket1694 merenda1740 rinfresco1745 bagging?1746 snack1757 coffee1774 second breakfast1775 nummit1777 stay-stomach1800 damper1804 eleven o'clock1805 noonshine1808 by-bit1819 morning1819 four1823 four o'clock1825 lunch1829 stay-bit1833 picnic meal1839 elevens1849 Tommy1864 picnic tea1869 dinnerette1872 merienda1880 elevenses1887 light bite1887 soldier's supper1893 mug-up1902 tray1914 café complet1933 nosha1941 namkeen1942 snax1947 snackette1952 chaat1954 ploughman's lunch1957 munchie1959 playlunch1960 short-eat1962 lite bite1965 munchie1971 ploughman1975 aperitivo2002 1823 E. Moor Suffolk Words 132 Foorzes. 1849 W. Raynbird & H. Raynbird On Agric. Suffolk vi. 296 The name ‘fourzes’ and ‘elevens’, given to these short periods of rest and refreshment, show when taken. 1887 E. R. Suffling Land of Broads (ed. 2) 266 At 4 p.m., when they have their ‘fourses’. 1895 C. J. Cornish Wild Eng. Today 243 The workmen rest for their ‘elevenses’ and ‘fourses’. 1923 Daily Mail 30 July 6 The men at work with bare chests or enjoying their drink in the shade of the hedge at ‘elevenses’ or ‘fourses’ according to the hour. 1953 A. Jobson Househ. & Country Crafts ii. 28 Another speciality..was the harvest-cake or biscuit, also known as a bever cake... This was a most welcome addition to the ‘fourses’ provided by the farmer's wife for the harvest field. 1966 G. E. Evans Pattern under Plough xv. 154 A substitute harvest horn..did service to summon up the women and children to bring their elevenses and fourses into the harvest field. Compounds C1. a. Combined with nouns forming adjectives. four-acre adj. ΚΠ 1868 W. E. Gladstone Juventus Mundi (1870) xi. 420 A four-acre field. four-button adj. ΚΠ 1896 Daily News 2 July 8/7 White kids sewn with black..as well as lavender, chiefly in four-button length. four-cylinder adj. ΚΠ 1902 Westm. Gaz. 8 Sept. 7/3 Quadruple expansion four-cylinder engines of 4,000 horse-power. 1936 Discovery Feb. 37 Improved four-cylinder compound locomotive with poppet-valves and double blast-pipe. four-day adj. ΚΠ 1902 Daily Chron. 1 Sept. 5/2 The half-yearly four-day closing of the British Museum reading room. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 3 Sept. 12/1 Thus making the first four-day westward voyage. 1935 Discovery Aug. 221/1 The five-day week has already arrived, the four-day week will come and there will be increasing leisure to be employed. 1960 News Chron. 9 Apr. 1/3 Thousands of men stayed away from work..trying..to enforce a four-day week. four-door adj. ΚΠ 1957 P. Frank Seven Days to Never i. 13 A four-door sedan. four-gallon adj. ΚΠ 1879 I. L. Bird Lady's Life Rocky Mts. I. 264 I told him to fill up the four-gallon kettle. four-gun adj. ΚΠ 1862 D. T. Ansted & R. G. Latham Channel Islands iii. xvii. 400 A four-gun cutter. four-line adj. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > part of poem > [adjective] > stanzaic > of specific number of lines monostich1656 distichal1778 four-line1827 four-lined1827 distichic1884 tetrastichic1884 tristichic1884 tetrastichal1895 two-line1901 1827 Gentleman's Mag. 97 ii. 501 Underneath this a stave or four-line verse. four-mile adj. ΚΠ 1897 S. L. Hinde Fall Congo Arabs 115 The whole crowd jumped into the river, here about a hundred yards wide, with a four-mile current. 1903 R. Kipling Five Nations 90 From the Four-mile Radius roughly to the plains of Hindustan. four-story adj. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > building of specific internal arrangement > [adjective] > number of storeys one-storey1796 two-lofted1819 one-storeyed1821 four-story1833 single-storied1835 upstairs1840 multi-storied1891 multi-storey1902 low-rise1922 single-storey1947 tri-level1960 1833 C. F. Hoffman Let. 25 Nov. in Winter in West (1835) I. 112 [In Detroit] there are..many four-story stores erecting. 1888 A. K. Green Behind Closed Doors vi. 80 A four-story brick building. four-year-old adj. ΚΠ 1832 E. Bulwer-Lytton Eugene Aram I. i. v. 77 The four-year-old mutton..affecting the shape and assuming the adjuncts of venison. 1855 Ld. Tennyson Brook in Maud & Other Poems 108 That [colt] was the four-year-old I sold the Squire. b. In parasynthetic adjectives. With suffix -ed suffix². four-barrelled adj. ΚΠ 1881 Times 15 Jan. 5/6 A high power of firing for a four-barrelled gun. four-chambered adj. ΚΠ 1870 P. Gillmore tr. L. Figuier Reptiles & Birds Introd. 2 The heart is four-chambered, transmitting venous blood to the lungs. four-columned adj. ΚΠ 1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 18 We are now poring over all the nothings in a four-columned newspaper. four-decked adj. ΚΠ 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple II. xvi. 280 Nothing would suit Nelson but this four-decked ship. four-faced adj. ΚΠ 1878 H. P. Gurney Crystallogr. 86 A cube with a low four-sided pyramid on each face..is sometimes called a four-faced cube. four-fingered adj. ΚΠ 1803 W. Bingley Animal Biogr. I. 69 The Four-fingered Monkey is an inhabitant of several parts of South America. four-headed adj. ΚΠ 1864 E. B. Pusey Daniel ii. 75 The four-headed creatures in Ezekiel's vision. four-legged adj. ΚΠ 1663 S. Butler Hudibras: First Pt. i. i. 31 To guard the magazine i' th' hose From two-legg'd and from four-legg'd foes. 1778 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 68 57 The whole being supported by a four-legged stand. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 300 Louise..calling her little four-legged companion, had eagerly followed in the path. four-lettered adj. ΚΠ 1652 H. Crompton tr. H. C. Agrippa Glory of Women 4 That four-lettr'd name, rare and Divine. four-lined adj. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > literature > poetry > part of poem > [adjective] > stanzaic > of specific number of lines monostich1656 distichal1778 four-line1827 four-lined1827 distichic1884 tetrastichic1884 tristichic1884 tetrastichal1895 two-line1901 1827 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) IV. 214 The poem..is in four-lined stanzas. four-roomed adj. ΚΠ 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 234 A new four-roomed cottage. four-sided adj. ΚΠ 1669 S. Sturmy Mariners Mag. i. 26 Of four-sided Figures. four-snouted adj. ΚΠ 1647 R. Stapleton tr. Juvenal Sixteen Satyrs v. 55 Thou drain'st a foule four-snouted glasse, that's call'd The Beneventine Cobler. four-spined adj. ΚΠ 1836 W. Yarrell Hist. Brit. Fishes I. 83 The four-spined Stickleback. four-stranded adj. ΚΠ 1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine at Ame The middle strand of a four-stranded rope. four-stringed adj. ΚΠ 1742 G. Berkeley Let. to Gervais in A. C. Fraser Life & Lett. G. Berkeley (1871) viii. 284 The instrument she desired to be provided was a large four-stringed bass violin. four-tined adj. ΚΠ 1765 Universal Mag. 37 33/1 A four-tined fork. four-toed adj. ΚΠ 1872 S. W. Baker Nile Tributaries Abyssinia (new ed.) ii. 27 The first time I saw the peculiar four-toed print of the hippopotamus's foot. c. In parasynthetic nouns with suffix -er suffix¹. four-boater n. ΚΠ 1889 Cent. Dict. Four-boater, a whaling-ship carrying four boats on the cranes. four-decker n. ΚΠ 1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple II. xvi. 280 She was a four-decker. four-master n. four-year-older n. ΚΠ 1826 B. Disraeli Vivian Grey I. i. viii. 52 Any stray four year older not yet sent to bed. d. In adverbial sense (= in four parts) with past participles. four-cleft adj. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > divided into four quartereda1425 quartléc1425 quadripartite?a1475 quadrupart1602 four-parteda1620 quadral1681 four-cleft1793 tesseratomic1887 1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. H6^v Four-cleft leaf, folium quadrifidum. 1846 J. D. Dana U.S. Exploring Exped.: Zoophytes 139 Mouth prominent, four-cleft within. four-parted adj. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > divided into four quartereda1425 quartléc1425 quadripartite?a1475 quadrupart1602 four-parteda1620 quadral1681 four-cleft1793 tesseratomic1887 a1620 M. Fotherby Atheomastix (1622) ii. vii. §3. 264 The foure-parted Image. 1793 T. Martyn Lang. Bot. sig. H7 Four-parted leaf, folium quadripartitum. C2. Special combinations. four-ale n. (a) ale sold at four-pence a quart; also attributive; (b) a four-ale bar. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > ale > [noun] > other ales strawberry ale1523 red ale1557 sixteens1584 bottle ale1586 hostler ale1590 Pimlico1609 eyebright1612 quest-ale1681 hugmatee1699 Newcastle brown (ale)1707 pale ale1708 twopenny ale (or beer)1710 twoops1729 flux ale1742 pale1743 Ringwood1759 brown ale1776 light ale1780 blue cap1789 brown1820 India pale ale1837 Tipper1843 ostler ale1861 fourpenny ale1871 four-ale1883 ninepenny1886 Scotch1886 barley wine1940 IPA1953 light1953 real ale1972 the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > drinking place > [noun] > tap-room or bar > other bars public bar1654 American bar1856 wine room1865 last chance saloon1869 four-ale1883 private bar1892 saloon bar1902 cocktail bar1908 cocktail lounge1934 porter bar1935 lounge bar1937 wine bar1938 dive bar1940 gay bar1947 open bar1947 piano bar1947 sherry-bar1951 public1957 leather bar1961 private1963 ouzeri1964 karaoke bar1977 1883 Daily News 8 Sept. 3/1 Nearly every man seemed to order nothing more mischievous than ‘half-a-pint of four ale’. 1902 Daily Chron. 23 Sept. 6/7 He had been to a ‘four-ale club’. 1930 Daily Chron. 6 Nov. 5/7 The man had been in his [public-]house—in the four-ale bar. a1953 D. Thomas Under Milk Wood (1954) 2 Night in the four-ale, quiet as a domino. 1966 ‘H. Carmichael’ Suicide Clause vi. 73 A kindred spirit beside me in the four-ale bar. four-ball adj. defining a foursome at golf in which four balls are used, the best ball on each side counting at each hole; also absol. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [adjective] > types of match or game three-ball1839 four-ball1904 Stableford1937 1904 Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 4/1 The players in a four-ball match. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 8 Mar. 12/2 Four-ball foursomes. 1969 Times 25 Sept. 15/1 In the wake of that extraordinary feature of American golf, the four-ball, gang mowers at last got to work on the fairways. four-baller n. a golfer playing in a four-ball match. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > [noun] > player > types of outgoera1382 putter1842 driver1847 approacher1887 brassy player1894 long-handicapper1899 penalty-carrier1908 socketer1912 pinsplitter1916 chipper1923 four-baller1927 hacker1934 shotmaker1974 low-ball hitter1979 1927 Observer 31 July 15/5 A selfish ‘four-baller’, intent solely on his own pleasure, has blocked the way. four-cant n. (see quot.; cf. four-strand adj.). ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > rope, cord, or line > types of warp1296 sewing-rope1336 viring-rope1336 wardrope1338 bast1357 breast rope1412 balk-line1506 waterline1626 shank1706 selvage1711 shroud hawser1744 white line1747 selvagee1750 cringle1787 staple-rope1794 bracing-rope1827 selvage-stropc1860 soga1860 four-cant1867 toggle-lanyard1874 maguey1908 snorter1950 snotter1950 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Four-cant, a rope composed of four strands. four-centred arch n. Architecture one described from four centres. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > arch > [noun] > other types of arch bowOE craba1387 cove1511 triumphal arch (arc)a1566 straight arch1663 pointed arch1688 rough arch1693 jack-arch1700 oxi1700 raking arch1711 flat arch1715 scheme-arch1725 counter-arch1726 ox-eye arch1736 surbased dome1763 ogee1800 rising arch1809 sub-arch1811 deaf arch1815 four-centred arch1815 mixed arch1815 Tudor arch1815 camber1823 lancet arch1823 invert1827 platband1828 pier arch1835 ogive1841 scoinson arch1842 segment1845 skew arch1845 drop-arch1848 equilateral arch1848 lancet1848 rear arch1848 straining-arch1848 tierceron1851 shouldered arch1853 archlet1862 segment-arch1887 1815 T. Rickman in J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 154 Its arch is very often four-centred, which at once decides its date. four-chromatic adj. = four-colour adj. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > [adjective] > four colours four-colour1879 tetrachromatic1902 tetrachromic1902 four-chromatic1952 1952 G. A. Dirac in Jrnl. London Math. Soc. XXVII. 85 (title) A property of 4-chromatic graphs and some remarks on critical graphs. four-coloration n. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > [noun] > four colours four-colouring1963 four-coloration1967 1967 O. Ore Four-color Probl. xii. 210 This..can be extended..to give a 4-coloration of G. four-colour adj. having, or pertaining to the use of, four colours; four-colour problem, the as yet unsolved problem of proving as a mathematical theorem that on any plane map only four colours are needed to give different colours to any regions that have a common boundary. ΘΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > [adjective] > four colours four-colour1879 tetrachromatic1902 tetrachromic1902 four-chromatic1952 the world > relative properties > number > mathematics > [noun] > mathematical enquiry > proposition > problem > specific problem Deliac problem1636 word problem1903 travelling salesman problem1949 four-colour problem1962 1879 Cayley in Proc. Royal Geogr. Soc. I. 260 The theorem then is, that if an area be partitioned in any manner into areas, these can be, with four colours only, coloured in such wise that in every case two attached areas have distinct colours.] 1879 A. B. Kempe in Amer. Jrnl. Math. 2 200 I will conclude with a theorem... It is one of which I long endeavoured to obtain an independent proof, as a means of solving the four-colour problem. 1897 P. J. Heawood in Q. Jrnl. Math. XXIX. 270 (title) On the four-colour map theorem. 1931 Everyman's Encycl. IV. 209/1 The early years of the twentieth century have seen many improvements in working the three-colour block process, while in America especially the four-colour process has been developed. 1941 R. Courant & H. E. Robbins What is Math.? v. 247 The four color theorem has indeed been proved for all maps containing less than thirty-eight regions. 1941 R. Courant & H. E. Robbins What is Math.? v. 247 In the four color problem the maps may be drawn either in the plane or on the surface of a sphere. 1962 A. Doig tr. C. Berge Theory of Graphs xxi. 214 The following theorem which has never yet been proved is known as the four-colour problem: every planar graph is 4-chromatic. 1967 E. Chambers Photolitho-offset xv. 236 The demand for colour, especially four-colour half-tone work, either for catalogue or carton use, has brought about the development of four and six-colour machines. 1971 Daily Tel. 8 Jan. (Colour Suppl.) 21/4 The best four-colour lithographic printers in the country. four-colour v. (transitive) . ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > variegate [verb (transitive)] > with four colours four-colour1963 1963 E. L. Johnson in Calif. Univ. Operations Res. Center Rep. No. 28. 8 The edges of the reduced graph G¹ can be 4-colored. 1963 E. L. Johnson in Calif. Univ. Operations Res. Center Rep. No. 28. (title) A proof of four-coloring the edges of a regular three-degree graph. four-colouring n. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > variegation > [noun] > four colours four-colouring1963 four-coloration1967 1963 G. A. Dirac in Proc. London Math. Soc. 13 195 Theorem 2 establishes the truth of the four-colour conjecture for a new class of planar graphs..and..furnishes a procedure for verifying that a given suitable planar graph is 4-colourable without having to find a 4-colouring for the whole of it. 1967 O. Ore Four-color Probl. viii. 107 To define a four coloring of the faces in G. † four-corner adj. Obsolete = four-cornered adj. ΚΠ 1640–1 Ld. J. Digby Speech in Comm. 9 Feb. 9 The Lawne sleeves, the foure corner Cap, the Cope. four-cornered adj. having four corners, square; four-cornered cap, a college cap or ‘square’. ΘΚΠ the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adjective] > quadrilateral four-nookedc1275 four-hernedc1290 quadrangular?a1425 four-corneredc1440 quadrangle1494 quadrivial1540 quadrangled1552 quadrilater?a1560 tetragonal1571 quadrangulate1592 quadranguled1592 quadrilateral1606 four-corner1640 tetragon1794 the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > headgear > [noun] > cap > types of > denoting office or profession > academic four-cornered capc1440 corner-cap1566 cornered cap1583 square cap1584 cap1611 university cap1646 trencher-cap1721 trencher1834 muffin cap1837 mortarboard1854 house cap1863 colleger1889 square1928 c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 175/2 Fowre corneryd, quadrangulus. 15.. in J. Strype Parker (1711) App. No. 40 Every Hedde of College..to weare when they goo abrode, longe Gownes..and square or four cornered Capps. 1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 329 It [sc. the idol] had..a Mouth extended four-corner'd, like that of a Lion. 1823 W. Scott Let. to Ld. Montagu 18 June in J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott Think of a vile four cornered house with plantations laid out in scollops. four-cornerwise adv. so as to form four corners. ΘΚΠ the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adverb] > quadrilateral four-cornerwise1607 quadrangularly1673 tetragonally1888 1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 509 The common kind of this moustrap is made of wood, long and foure cornerwise. four-coupled adj. having four coupled wheels. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > rolling stock > [adjective] > type of locomotive cabless1887 four-coupled1889 Pacific1903 1889 Daily News 21 June 6/3 A four coupled engine drew an excursion train of 13 vehicles. four-course n. Agriculture a four years' course or series of crops in rotation (in quots. attributive; see course n. 31). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > [adjective] > rotation of crops rotational1771 four-course1846 1846 J. Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4) II. 245 By what is termed the four-course shift, having equal proportions of fallow, barley, clover, peas or beans, and wheat in each year. 1891 ‘S. C. Scrivener’ Our Fields & Cities iv. 28 This ‘Four-Course’ system, as it is called, produces five entirely different plants, namely, turnips, barley, beans, clover, and wheat. four-crossway n. (also four-crossways) the place where two roads cross or four roads meet. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > junction of roads, paths, or tracks > [noun] > cross-roads carfax1357 carfour1477 cross1546 cross-way?1556 quatervois?1575 four-way1598 four-crosswaya1645 crossing1695 four-went way(s1777 cross-road1812 cross-street1825 intersectiona1864 1480 W. Worcester in J. Nasmith Itineraria (1778) 176 At the crosse yn Baldwyne strete been iiii crosse wayes metyng.] a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) i. ii. 48 He came to a foure crosse way. 1842 Peter Parley's Ann. 288 Do you mean..that your husband was buried in a four-crossways? He must then have killed himself. four-cycle adj. = four-stroke adj. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > machine > machines which impart power > engine > [adjective] > other qualities or attributes bell-mouthed1797 reverse1839 throttled1850 reversible1852 steam-jacketed1876 multi-cylindera1884 multiple-cylinder1888 four-cycle1909 multi-cylindered1909 knockless1928 throttleable1951 multi-fuel1957 stretched1960 multi-fuelled1964 1909 Westm. Gaz. 25 Mar. 4/1 It is open to question if a two-cycle engine will ever be produced which will show the same economy of fuel as the four-cycle. 1924 Times Trade & Engin. Suppl. 29 Nov. 250/4 Four-cycle double-acting engines. 1950 Engineering 19 May 577/3 Fuel within this range..can be burnt successfully in four-cycle [diesel] engines. four-dimensional adj. Mathematics of or belonging to a fourth dimension. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > geometry > geometric space > [adjective] > of dimensions > of specific number of tri-dimensional1858 four-dimensional1866 one-dimensional1876 three-dimensional1878 four-dimensioned1880 two-dimensional1883 two-dimensioned1885 1866 F. W. H. Myers in E. Gurney et al. Phantasms of Living II. 314 Four-dimensional space (if that exists). 1880 Academy 30 Oct. 314 Four-dimensional space may be built up with..ikosatetrahedroids. four-dimensioned adj. having four dimensions. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > geometry > geometric space > [adjective] > of dimensions > of specific number of tri-dimensional1858 four-dimensional1866 one-dimensional1876 three-dimensional1878 four-dimensioned1880 two-dimensional1883 two-dimensioned1885 1880 Daily News 20 Oct. 5/1 The unfamiliarity of a début in this world to a spirit more at home in four-dimensioned space. † four-double adj. Obsolete = fourfold adj. 1. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > four > [adjective] > fourfold fourfoldc1000 quatreblea1398 quadruplate?a1505 four-double1527 quadruple1557 quadruplex1606 quadrupled1607 quadruplicate1654 quadrifariousa1745 quaternate1753 quadriplicate1890 tetraplous1899 1527 L. Andrewe tr. H. Brunschwig Vertuose Boke Distyllacyon sig. Aij With a foure dowble clowte, or with hempen towe steped in the same..do as ye dyde before twyse or thryse a daye. 1599 A. M. tr. O. Gaebelkhover Bk. Physicke 249/2 Wet therin a fourdubble cloth, and applye him theron. 1704 London Gaz. No. 3990/4 A small Gold Chain 4 double fastened to the Watch. † four-eared adj. figurative Obsolete (a) ? = four-armed (said of a market cross); (b) twofold. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > two > duality > [adjective] twifoldc890 twinc1000 double?c1225 tway-fold1303 doublefold1382 twain1398 twin-kina1400 twinlepia1400 four-eared1514 twofold1559 bifold1590 duplar1610 binal?c1640 dual1655 binarious1656 binary system1766 dualistic1832 double-barrelled1837 twinfold1842 1514 Accts. St. John's Hosp., Canterbury (Canterbury Cathedral Archives: CCA-U13/4) Rec...for land at þe fower yeryd cros. 1600 tr. T. Garzoni Hosp. Incurable Fooles 62 A ridiculous and foure-eared foole. 1614 N. Breton I would & I would Not lxxxii, in Wks. (1879) I. 10 I would I were the gallanst Courtizan, That euer put a four-Ear'de Asse to schoole. four-eyes n. (a) see quot. 1755; (b) the name of a fish (see quot. 1879); (c) slang (see quot. 1874). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Bucephala > bucephala clangula (golden-eye) cur1621 goldeneye1622 shelden1674 whistling duck1699 four-eyes1755 garrot1829 jingler1829 great-head1843 musselcracker1845 whistle-wing1872 ironhead1888 whiffler1888 the world > health and disease > healing > ophthalmology or optometry > aids to defective vision > [noun] > spectacles > wearer of four-eyes1874 the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > order Atheriniformes > [noun] > member of family Anablepidae stargazer1842 four-eyes1879 1755 T. Amory Mem. Ladies 176 Some people have named this bird [sc. the golden eye] the four-eyes. 1874 Hotten's Slang Dict. (rev. ed.) 168 Four eyes, a man or woman who habitually wears spectacles. 1879 J. W. Boddam-Whetham Roraima & Brit. Guiana 130 The little fish known as ‘Four Eyes’, Anableps Tetraophthalmus. † four-fallow v. Obsolete to fallow fourfold. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > breaking up land > ploughing > plough (land) [verb (transitive)] > plough for third or last time thry-fallow1428 four-fallow1577 three-fallow1577 foil1669 1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 22^v You must not only twyfallowe & threefallowe your ground, but also fourefallow it. four-field course n. Agriculture a series of crops grown in four fields in rotation. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > cultivation of plants or crops > [noun] > rotation of crops rotation1757 course1767 succession1779 turnip-system1805 convertible husbandry1811 four-field course1842 1842 Ld. Tennyson Audley Court in Poems (new ed.) II. 43 We..discuss'd the farm, The fourfield system, and the price of grain. 1844 Jrnl. Royal Agric. Soc. 5 i. 162 It is usually cropped on the four-field or Norfolk course. four-figure adj. (a) consisting of four figures, i.e. a thousand or over (but less than ten thousand), a thousand pounds or over, etc.; (b) evaluated to or containing four significant figures or four decimal places. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > monetary value > [adjective] > specific values twopenny1532 sixpenny1592 fourpenny1597 threepenny1627 ninepenny1632 ten-pound1673 two-bit1802 four-figure1842 million-dollar1854 two-cent1859 thousand-guinea1894 thruppence1895 five-figure1971 six-figure1971 the world > relative properties > number > mathematical notation or symbol > [adjective] > written or designated by figures > grouping of figures four-figure1842 three-figure1855 double-digit1959 six-figure1963 double-figure1966 the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > fraction > [adjective] > number of digits or decimal places four-figure1842 four-place1888 1842 Penny Cycl. XXIII. 499/2 Four-figure logarithms on a card. 1877 Porcupine 17 Feb. 741/1 The same modest four-figure price. 1968 L. Fox & D. F. Mayers Computing Methods for Scientists & Engineers iii. 51 The fifth digit in our four-figure computation. 1970 Daily Tel. 8 June 4/3 The newcomers should help to send Dame Patricia back to Westminster with a good four-figure majority. four figured adj. that sells for four figures. ΚΠ 1895 Daily News 7 Jan. 3/4 The total amount of capital invested in these ‘four-figured’..animals. four figures n. i.e. an amount of one thousand pounds or over. ΘΚΠ society > trade and finance > money > sum of money > [noun] > large sum pounda1225 ransom?a1300 fother14.. gob1542 mint1579 king's ransomc1590 abomination1604 coda1680 a pretty (also fine, fair, etc.) penny1710 plunk1767 big money1824 pot1856 big one?1863 a small fortune1874 four figures1893 poultice1902 parcel1903 bundle1905 pretty1909 real money1918 stack1919 packet1922 heavy sugar1926 motza1936 big bucks1941 bomb1958 wedge1977 megadollars1980 squillion1986 bank1995 1893 Pall Mall Gaz. 12 Jan. 3/2 The two best yearlings sold for four figures. four-foil n. Architecture a quatrefoil. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > architecture > architectural ornament > [noun] > ornamentation by foils > specific number of foils sexfoil1688 quatrefoil1805 cinquefoil1816 septfoil1819 trefoil head1825 multifoil1835 polyfoil1842 septemfoil1842 trefoil1842 sixfoil1849 four-foil1860 octofoil1867 1860 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters V. 29 The normal of four-foils is therefore [etc.]. four-foot n. (also four-foot way) the space (really 4 ft. 8½ in.) between the rails on which the train runs. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > railway system or organization > [noun] > track > permanent way > space between rails six-foot way1861 four-foot1896 1896 Daily News 9 Mar. 5/5 The body of the lady, who was lying in the four-foot. four-four time n. Music time or rhythm consisting of four crotchets in a bar (also elliptical). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > proportion of notes or rhythm > [noun] > specific rhythms triplac1550 semibreve time1591 common measure1597 common time1597 nonupla1597 triple1597 binary measure1609 triple time1654 treble time1686 ternary measure or time1728 alla breve1731 ribattuta1740 four-four time1826 compound time1848 dotted rhythm1872 six-eight tempo1873 six-four1873 six-eight time1884 six-four time1884 six-two time1884 twelve-eight1884 slow drag1901 two-rhythm1901 three-four1902 sprung rhythm1944 songo1978 one-drop1979 1826 J. F. Danneley Mus. Gram. Index 100 Four-four time. 1853 C. Engel Pianist's Handbk. 49 The Allemande, in the style of an old German dance, in ⁴/ ₄ time, in moderate movement. 1880 G. Grove Dict. Music (at cited word) 4–4 time, which is made up of two bars of 2–4 time..in Germany is always classed with the compound times. In England however..those rhythms only [are] considered as compound, in which each beat is divisible into three parts. 1959 Listener 5 Feb. 264/2 Alternating bars of five-four and four-four. 1966 Crescendo Dec. 26/1 The time signature 4/4 seems to be at its most productive rhythmically when 12/8 is imposed on it. 1966 Crescendo Dec. 26/1 To superimpose 18/8 on to 4/4. four freedoms n. see freedom n. 4b. four-half n. slang half ale, half porter, at four-pence a quart. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > intoxicating liquor > ale or beer > mixed drinks of ale or beer > [noun] three-threads1698 pap-in1748 half-and-half1756 porter cup1790 shandygaff1853 mixed ale1864 cooper1871 black and tan1881 four-half1884 mother-in-law1884 shandy1888 smiler1892 mild-and-bitter1933 red-eye1960 1884 Punch 29 Nov. 257/1 Drinks anything stronger or dearer than ‘four-half’. four-high adj. having four rolls one over another, as a rolling-mill (cf. two-high adj. at two adj., n., and adv. Compounds 2). ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > metalworking equipment > [adjective] > types of rolling equipment two-high1875 four-high1878 pilger1902 1878 Iron Age 5 Dec. 3/5 The use of Bleckly's four-high wire mill..has been attended with very satisfactory results. 1928 Jrnl. Iron & Steel Inst. 117 840 The chief object of the four-high mill is to provide an exceedingly rigid working roll of relatively small working diameter. 1958 Times 7 Jan. 14/2 Heavy, medium and light plates all rolled in two 4-high mills. 1958 Times 7 Jan. 14/2 The new slabbing mill and the 4-high plate mills. four-horse adj. that is drawn by four horses. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > [adjective] > drawn by horse > by specific number or arrangement of four-horseda1382 one-horse1734 four-horse1762 single-horse1764 two-horse1798 pair-horse1829 pair-horsed1896 1762 A. Dickson Treat. Agric. ii. xii. 228 In a four-horse plough, yoked in pairs. 1842 C. Dickens Amer. Notes II. i. 11 The mail takes the lead in a four-horse wagon. four-horsed adj. that is drawn by four horses. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > cart, carriage, or wagon > [adjective] > drawn by horse > by specific number or arrangement of four-horseda1382 one-horse1734 four-horse1762 single-horse1764 two-horse1798 pair-horse1829 pair-horsed1896 a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Isa. lxvi. 15 The Lord in fyr shal come, and as a whirlewynd his foure horsid carres. 1887 C. Bowen tr. Virgil Æneid vi, in tr. Virgil in Eng. Verse 290 Borne on his four-horsed chariot..Over the Danaan land. four-hours n. Scottish a light refreshment taken about four o'clock; also †four hours penny (see quot. a1651). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > light meal or snacks nuncheonc1260 morsela1382 refection?a1439 mixtumc1490 bever1500 banquet1509 collation1525 snatch1570 beverage1577 a little something1577 anders-meat1598 four-hours1637 watering1637 refreshment1639 snap1642 luncheona1652 crib1652 prandicle1656 munchin1657 baita1661 unch1663 afternooning1678 whet1688 nacket1694 merenda1740 rinfresco1745 bagging?1746 snack1757 coffee1774 second breakfast1775 nummit1777 stay-stomach1800 damper1804 eleven o'clock1805 noonshine1808 by-bit1819 morning1819 four1823 four o'clock1825 lunch1829 stay-bit1833 picnic meal1839 elevens1849 Tommy1864 picnic tea1869 dinnerette1872 merienda1880 elevenses1887 light bite1887 soldier's supper1893 mug-up1902 tray1914 café complet1933 nosha1941 namkeen1942 snax1947 snackette1952 chaat1954 ploughman's lunch1957 munchie1959 playlunch1960 short-eat1962 lite bite1965 munchie1971 ploughman1975 aperitivo2002 1637 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 243 We think all is but a little earnest, a four-hours, a small tasting, that we have..in this life. a1651 D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1843) II. 125 When the craftsmen were required to assemble..they went to their foure houres pennie. Note, The name of the after~noon refreshment of ale [etc.]..taken at four o'clock. 1870 E. B. Ramsay Reminisc. Sc. Life (ed. 18) v. 118 When I get my four hours, that will refresh me. four hundred n. U.S. the highest society of a locality. ΘΚΠ society > society and the community > social class > nobility > aristocracy or upper class > [noun] optimacy1579 aristocracy1651 great world1699 peerage1725 well-connected1788 governing class1795 patriciate1795 well-connected1831 caste1842 (the) salt of the earth1842 the leisured class(es1848 japonicadom1851 countyocracy1859 masterclass1861 proprietariat1872 four hundred1888 the Establishment1923 gratin1934 power élite1942 U1954 upper1955 topside1958 1888 N.Y. Tribune 8 Apr. 5/1 Not all of ‘the 400’ have yet returned from the South. 1889 Cent. Mag. Apr. 857/2 Her sayings and doings were as much a part of tea and dinner table gossip as they would be if she lived today and belonged to the ‘four hundred’. 1895 Sun (N.Y.) 1 Feb. The term Four Hundred has no actual meaning. It is a general phrase which stands for an exclusive association of people who represent the very best Society in this city. 1906 M. E. W. Freeman Light of Soul 93 People in Edgham aped society, they even talked about the ‘four hundred’. 1948 Coronet Aug. 36/1 To social strivers she is Queen of the 400. four-inch adj. that measures four inches, also elliptical = four inch rope. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [adjective] > relating to inch > that measures three, etc., inches seven-inch1462 four-inched1608 twelve-inch1611 three-incha1616 one-inch1684 four-inch1840 society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [noun] > rope or cord > types of sandwich1494 parchment lace1542 hempstring1573 sinnet1611 jackline1612 spun-yarn1627 sennit1769 Manila1826 four-inch1840 stropping1850 1840 F. Marryat Poor Jack xii. 74 Here's a good long piece of four-inch. 1858 G. Glenny Gardener's Every-day Bk. (new ed.) 254/1 Seedlings..must be pricked off into four-inch pots. † four-inched adj. Obsolete four inches wide. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [adjective] > relating to inch > that measures three, etc., inches seven-inch1462 four-inched1608 twelve-inch1611 three-incha1616 one-inch1684 four-inch1840 1608 W. Shakespeare King Lear xi. 50 To ride..ouer foure incht bridges. four-lane-end n. (also four-lane-ends) dialect = four-crossway n. ΚΠ 1787 Pegge in Archæol. VIII. 203 He being also anathematized, was interred at a four-lane-end without the city. four-leaf clover n. a rare form of clover leaf having four leaflets, regarded as a lucky charm or sign of good fortune; cf. four-leaved adj. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > according to family > leguminous plants > [noun] > clover or trefoil white clovereOE cloverc1000 hare-foota1300 clerewort?a1400 clover-grassa1400 three-leaved grass14.. trefoilc1400 sucklingc1440 four-leaved grassc1450 trefle1510 Trifolium?1541 trinity grass1545 Dutch1548 lote1548 hare's-foot1562 lotus1562 triple grass1562 blain-grass1570 meadow trefoil1578 purple grass1597 purplewort1597 satin flower1597 cithyse1620 true-love grass?a1629 garden balsam1633 hop-clover1679 Burgundian hay1712 strawberry trefoil1731 honeysuckle trefoil1735 red clover1764 buffalo-clover1767 marl-grass1776 purple trefoil1785 white trefoil1785 yellow trefoil1785 sulla1787 cow-grass1789 strawberry-bearing trefoil1796 zigzag trefoil1796 rabbit's foot1817 lotus grass1820 strawberry-headed trefoil1822 mountain liquorice1836 hop-trefoil1855 clustered clover1858 alsike1881 mountain clover1882 knop1897 Swedish clover1908 sub clover1920 four-leaf clover1927 suckle- the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [noun] > charm or amulet > for luck > specific nicetery1652 horseshoe1665 rabbit's foot1680 pocket-piece1695 luck penny1703 luck money1820 caul1826 windbag1870 wind-knot1870 billiken1914 four-leaf clover1927 paho1979 1927 Melody Maker June 573/2 Nick Lucas is as good as ever in ‘I'm Looking Over aFour-Leaf Clover’. 1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren xi. 222 It is not usually considered enough merely to find a lucky object... The only exception seems to be the four-leaf clover, the discovery of which appears to be felt singular enough to be lucky in itself. 1985 N.Y. Times 31 Dec. a11/2 Parcells is superstitious and proud of it, and..he told of a four-leaf clover a dry-cleaner's delivery man had left intentionally in the coach's jacket pocket. four-letter adj. consisting of four letters; applied esp. to any of several monosyllabic English words, referring to the sexual or excretory functions or organs of the human body, that are conventionally excluded from polite use; four-letter man, an obnoxious person. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > malediction > [adjective] > strong, sulphurous (of language) untowen13.. largea1413 thundering1543 viperous1605 luscious1614 peppering1712 rough1750 unquotable1821 sulphurous1828 piercent1829 unrepeatable1831 bituminous1878 sultry1891 unprintable1898 four-letter1923 1923 J. Manchon Le Slang 265 Shit,..un type embêtant... L'euph. est four-letter-man. 1924 ‘J. Sutherland’ Circle of Stars xxiii. 236 Carter isn't that kind of a four letter man if he does soak. 1927 C. S. Lewis Let. 12 Dec. (1966) 122 Louis the Pious was ‘a man of blameless and virtuous habits’—tho' every other sentence in the chapter makes it clear that he was a four letter man. 1934 Amer. Speech 9 264/1 The obscene ‘four-letter words’ of the English language are not cant or slang or dialect, but belong to the oldest and best established element in the English vocabulary. 1934 Amer. Speech 9 267/1 For most people, the bare word forms of these four-letter words have become sexual fetishes. 1935 E. Hemingway Green Hills Afr. (1936) ii. iii. 97 Ashamed at having been a four-letter man about books. 1947 A. Huxley Let. 9 Mar. (1969) 568 She would bring him to amorous life again by re-assuming her cockney accent..going very nearly to the point of murmuring four-letter words into his ear. 1960 Times 7 Nov. 17/4 Having regard to the state of current writing, it seems that the prosecution against Lady Chatterley can only have been launched on the ground that the book contained so-called four-letter words. 1962 I. Murdoch Unofficial Rose xvii. 164 Felix regarded Randall as a four-letter man of the first order. 1969 N. Cohn Pop from Beginning xx. 188 He was heckled. Immediately, he exploded in a rash of four-letter words and the curtain came down. † four-millioneer n. Obsolete one who is worth four millions of money. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > wealth > [noun] > rich or wealthy person > person who has large amount of money jingle-boya1640 four-millioneer1667 plum1709 millionary1786 millionaire1795 money bag1820 millionista1843 trimillionaire1848 multimillionaire1858 billionaire1861 millioner1865 trillionaire1873 quadrillionairea1876 thousandaire1896 milliardaire1897 multibillionaire1906 zillionaire1926 multi1950 mega-millionaire1968 squillionaire1979 1667 Third Advice in Second & Third Advice to Painter 28 Find out the Cheats of the four Millioneer. four-minute mile n. a mile run by an athlete in four minutes or less (first achieved by R. Bannister in 1954). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > racing on foot > [noun] > racing specific distance dash1836 middle distance1885 marathon1896 miling1913 four-minute mile1955 ultra1977 ultra-running1978 ultra-run1986 1955 T. Sterling Evil of Day iv. 40 These people would believe I was going to die if they saw me running the four minute mile. 1958 Sunday Times 30 Nov. 38/6 His phenomenal series of four-minute miles. 1969 J. Wainwright Take-over Men i. 16 He broke the four-minute mile to position her chair. four-minute miler n. an athlete who performs this feat; frequently used hyperbolically. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > racing on foot > [noun] > racing specific distance > runner miler1838 sprinter1841 quarter-miler1893 marathoner1908 half-miler1959 four-minute miler1963 ultra-marathoner1978 ultra-runner1978 1963 Listener 31 Jan. 209/2 A 4-minute miler could take 3.6 seconds off his time under the influence of amphetamine. four-nooked adj. four-cornered (obsolete exc. dialect). ΘΚΠ the world > space > shape > angularity > [adjective] > abounding in corners > having specific number of corners four-nookedc1275 three-nookeda1616 nine-cornered1809 the world > space > shape > angularity > specific angular shape > [adjective] > quadrilateral four-nookedc1275 four-hernedc1290 quadrangular?a1425 four-corneredc1440 quadrangle1494 quadrivial1540 quadrangled1552 quadrilater?a1560 tetragonal1571 quadrangulate1592 quadranguled1592 quadrilateral1606 four-corner1640 tetragon1794 c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 10978 Feower-noked [c1300 Otho four-nokede] he is and þer-inne is feower kunnes fisc. c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. vii. xviii. f. 93/1 The mone beand in opposition (quhen it is maist round) apperit suddanly as it war foure nukit. 1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby Four-neuk'd, square or four-cornered. four-oar n. a boat rowed with four oars. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [noun] > rowing boat > for specific number of rowers a pair of oars1598 ten1642 four-oar1844 pair-oar1853 six-oar1856 two-oar1857 four1861 sixern1866 gig-pair1869 pair1885 eight1898 1844 Earl of Malmesbury Mem. Ex-Minister (1884) I. 154 We then returned home in the four-oar. four-oared adj. propelled by four oars or oarsmen; also absol. (= four-oared boat). ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [adjective] > for specific number of rowers four-oared1685 pair-oared1879 1685 London Gaz. No. 2023/4 A six Oared Barge..and a four Oared Boat. 1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations III. xv. 249 If we had seen a four-oared galley going up with the tide. 1870 G. W. Dasent Ann. Eventful Life I. 141 Leaving the boat-hook of a four-oared, which I steered. four-part adj. Music composed for four parts or voices. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > [adjective] > in parts broken1609 four-part1664 in terza1724 concerted1824 two-part1854 1664 S. Pepys Diary 27 Nov. (1971) V. 332 We sung..Ravenscrofts four-part psalms. 1890 E. Prout Counterpoint 143 Four-part counterpoint. four paws n. U.S. Logging (see quot. 1905). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > farming > forestry or arboriculture > lumbering > [noun] > lumbering equipment > means of securing logs logging-chain1825 swifter1870 boom-chain1883 wrapper1901 catpiece1905 four paws1905 1905 Terms Forestry & Logging (Bull. U.S. Dept. Agric., Bureau Forestry, No. 61) 35 Double couplers, two coupling grabs joined by a short cable, used for fastening logs together. Syn.: four paws. 1957 Brit. Commonw. Forest Terminol.: Pt. II (Empire Forestry Assoc.) ii. 76 Four paws,..used for fastening a skidding chain or cable to large logs. four-place adj. = four-figure adj. (b). ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > fraction > [adjective] > number of digits or decimal places four-figure1842 four-place1888 1888 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 13/1 A four-place table. 1927 Carey & Grace (title) Four-place mathematical tables with forced decimals. four-point assay n. Chemistry (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > matter > chemistry > chemical assay or analytical chemistry > [noun] > acetimetry > assay Marsh test1837 four-point assay1940 radioassay1945 1940 A. L. Bacharach et al. in Biochem. Jrnl. XXXIV. 1464 The comparison of activity with that of a stable standard preparation..can be done by means of the ‘four-point assay’; two doses of the standard and two doses of test material are used. four-point bearing n. Nautical (see quot. 1948). ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > [noun] > position > bearing departure1699 cross-bearings1809 four-point bearing1927 1927 G. Bradford Gloss. Sea Terms 19/1 Bow and beam bearing..is also called a four point bearing. 1948 R. de Kerchove Internat. Maritime Dict. 278/2 Four-point bearing, the simplest and most commonly used method of determining the distance off a terrestrial object when coasting. The object is observed when it is four points (45°) on the bow and again when it is abeam. four-post adj. (of a bedstead) having four posts (to support a canopy and curtains). ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > bed > types of bed > [adjective] softOE high post1809 four-posta1818 unslept1864 queen-size1959 orthopaedic1976 a1818 M. G. Lewis Jrnl. W. India Proprietor (1834) 110 I saw none without a four-post bedstead and plenty of bedclothes. four-posted adj. (of a bedstead) having four posts (to support a canopy and curtains). ΚΠ 1823 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto VI xxv. 13 Beds, Four-posted and silk curtained. 1856 J. W. Carlyle Lett. II. 285 I expect to sleep in my great comfortable four-posted bed. four-poster n. a four-posted bedstead. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > furniture and fittings > bed > parts of bed > [noun] > bedstead > other types field bedstead1586 lath-bedstead1806 angareb1835 four-poster1836 twin bedstead1900 1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. II. 3 His small French bedstead was converted into a regular matrimonial four-poster. four-pounder n. (a) a gun to carry a four-pound shot; (b) a loaf four pounds in weight. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > guns by weight of shot > of specific weight of shot fifteen-pounder1684 four-pounder1684 hundred-pounder1684 six-pounder1684 three-pounder1684 ten-pounder1695 nine-pounder1713 seven-pounder1762 long nine1780 half-pounder1800 twelve-pounder1801 sices1804 twelve1804 one-pounder1811 eighteen1834 eighteen-pounder1866 the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > bread > loaf > [noun] > loaves of specific weight peck-loafa1627 quartern loaf?1711 assize loaf1762 prized loaf1762 quartern1843 four-pounder1855 sixer1877 1684 J. P. von Valcaren Relation Siege Vienna 109 Four Pounders. 1855 E. C. Gaskell North & South I. xvii. 211 I ha' gone and bought a four-pounder out o' another baker's shop to common on such days. 1876 G. Bancroft Hist. U.S. (rev. ed.) IV. xxv. 573 It was boarded by the provincials, who carried off four four-pounders and twelve swivels. four-rowed adj. (of barley) having four rows of awns. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [adjective] > of barley plant hordeaceous1854 four-rowed1882 1882 J. Hardy in Hist. Berwickshire Naturalists' Club 9 No. 3. 444 It might have been once used for husking big, or four-rowed barley. four-seater n. a car with seating accommodation for four people, also attributive. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > motor car > [noun] > car according to number of seats two- (three-, etc.) seater1906 four-seater1909 1909 Westm. Gaz. 16 Nov. 4/2 The famous 15-h.p. four-seater touring-car. 1922 Times 20 June 8/5 The increased convenience and comfort of a four-seater. four-shilling adj. that costs four shillings (in quot., †of beer, 4s. the barrel). ΚΠ 1633Four-shilling [see sense B. 3a]. four-spot n. a four of a suit in cards. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > card or cards > [noun] > number card > others twoa1500 cater1519 single ten1595 ten1595 eight1598 four1599 nine1599 six1599 seven1656 deuce1674 five1674 trey1680 spot1830 four-spot1878 two-spot1885 five-spot1913 ten-spot ladybird- 1878 B. F. Taylor Between Gates 193 We are a four-spot of dirty spades. 1920 C. E. Mulford Johnny Nelson x. 100 I'm layin' down as fine a pair of four-spots as I've ever held. four-star adj. designating a (high) rank in a grading system for hotels, etc., usually with four or five grades; also transferred, of a high degree of excellence. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > excellence > [adjective] faireOE bremea1000 goodlyOE goodfulc1275 noblec1300 pricec1300 specialc1325 gentlec1330 fine?c1335 singulara1340 thrivena1350 thriven and throa1350 gaya1375 properc1380 before-passinga1382 daintiful1393 principala1398 gradelya1400 burlyc1400 daintyc1400 thrivingc1400 voundec1400 virtuousc1425 hathelc1440 curiousc1475 singlerc1500 beautiful1502 rare?a1534 gallant1539 eximious1547 jolly1548 egregious?c1550 jellyc1560 goodlike1562 brawc1565 of worth1576 brave?1577 surprising1580 finger-licking1584 admirablea1586 excellinga1586 ambrosial1598 sublimated1603 excellent1604 valiant1604 fabulous1609 pure1609 starryc1610 topgallant1613 lovely1614 soaringa1616 twanging1616 preclarent1623 primea1637 prestantious1638 splendid1644 sterling1647 licking1648 spankinga1666 rattling1690 tearing1693 famous1695 capital1713 yrare1737 pure and —1742 daisy1757 immense1762 elegant1764 super-extra1774 trimming1778 grand1781 gallows1789 budgeree1793 crack1793 dandy1794 first rate1799 smick-smack1802 severe1805 neat1806 swell1810 stamming1814 divine1818 great1818 slap-up1823 slapping1825 high-grade1826 supernacular1828 heavenly1831 jam-up1832 slick1833 rip-roaring1834 boss1836 lummy1838 flash1840 slap1840 tall1840 high-graded1841 awful1843 way up1843 exalting1844 hot1845 ripsnorting1846 clipping1848 stupendous1848 stunning1849 raving1850 shrewd1851 jammy1853 slashing1854 rip-staving1856 ripping1858 screaming1859 up to dick1863 nifty1865 premier cru1866 slap-bang1866 clinking1868 marvellous1868 rorty1868 terrific1871 spiffing1872 all wool and a yard wide1882 gorgeous1883 nailing1883 stellar1883 gaudy1884 fizzing1885 réussi1885 ding-dong1887 jim-dandy1888 extra-special1889 yum-yum1890 out of sight1891 outasight1893 smooth1893 corking1895 large1895 super1895 hot dog1896 to die for1898 yummy1899 deevy1900 peachy1900 hi1901 v.g.1901 v.h.c.1901 divvy1903 doozy1903 game ball1905 goodo1905 bosker1906 crackerjack1910 smashinga1911 jake1914 keen1914 posh1914 bobby-dazzling1915 juicy1916 pie on1916 jakeloo1919 snodger1919 whizz-bang1920 wicked1920 four-star1921 wow1921 Rolls-Royce1922 whizz-bang1922 wizard1922 barry1923 nummy1923 ripe1923 shrieking1926 crazy1927 righteous1930 marvy1932 cool1933 plenty1933 brahmaa1935 smoking1934 solid1935 mellow1936 groovy1937 tough1937 bottler1938 fantastic1938 readyc1938 ridge1938 super-duper1938 extraordinaire1940 rumpty1940 sharp1940 dodger1941 grouse1941 perfecto1941 pipperoo1945 real gone1946 bosting1947 supersonic1947 whizzo1948 neato1951 peachy-keen1951 ridgey-dite1953 ridgy-didge1953 top1953 whizzing1953 badass1955 wild1955 belting1956 magic1956 bitching1957 swinging1958 ridiculous1959 a treat1959 fab1961 bad-assed1962 uptight1962 diggish1963 cracker1964 marv1964 radical1964 bakgat1965 unreal1965 pearly1966 together1968 safe1970 bad1971 brilliant1971 fabby1971 schmick1972 butt-kicking1973 ripper1973 Tiffany1973 bodacious1976 rad1976 kif1978 awesome1979 death1979 killer1979 fly1980 shiok1980 stonking1980 brill1981 dope1981 to die1982 mint1982 epic1983 kicking1983 fabbo1984 mega1985 ill1986 posho1989 pukka1991 lovely jubbly1992 awesomesauce2001 nang2002 bess2006 amazeballs2009 boasty2009 daebak2009 beaut2013 1921 Automobile Assoc. Ann. Rep. 4 Upwards of 2,000 firms carry the official appointment of the Association. During the past year the work of inspecting and appointing, on a ‘four-star’ classification basis, has continued. 1952 E. Grierson Reputation for Song xvii. 138 The ‘Golden Fleece’..was a four-star hotel. 1958 K. Amis I like it Here xiii. 155 A four-star monastery with chanting and flagellation. 1959 Sunday Express 21 June 6/6 Oscar Heinrich's life is four-star reading for anyone who [etc.]. 1968 Listener 1 Aug. 159/1 No one has ever shown that a car which will run happily, without pinking, on, say, four-star petrol will run any better—faster, or more economically—on five-star. 1970 Daily Tel. 30 June 3/1 Ladbroke's, the bookmakers, announced yesterday that they are going to build a four-star hotel in the centre of Leeds. four-starred adj. ΚΠ 1950 A. Christie Murder is Announced viii. 85 George, it's my own particular, one and only, four starred Pussy. The super Pussy of all old Pussies. four-strand adj. (of a rope) having four strands. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > other manufactured or derived materials > [adjective] > made of rope or cord > types of twine1513 twice-laid1592 basten1677 cable-laid1723 hawser-laid1769 water-laid1795 registered1800 shroud-laid1800 whale-laid1812 strap-laid1839 four-strand1867 locked-coil1885 trifilar1903 1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. at Ropes Four-strand is..laid with four strands, and a core scarcely twisted. four-tailed bandage n. (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > healing > medical appliances or equipment > bandage > [noun] > bandage of specific shape cancer1706 capeline1706 spica1731 abnet1797 cravat1836 four-tailed bandage1844 figure of eight bandage1871 1844 R. D. Hoblyn Dict. Terms Med. & Collateral Sci. (ed. 2) Four-tailed bandage, a bandage for the forehead, face and jaws. four thieves' vinegar n. (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > additive > acid or tart flavouring > [noun] > vinegar > types of alegara1425 red vinegarc1475 beeregara1500 white wine vinegar1527 red wine vinegar1596 wine-vinegara1617 beer-vinegara1668 vinegar beer1677 vinegar-powder1753 chilli-vinegar1818 rice vinegar1821 wood-vinegar1837 sugar-vinegar1839 mint vinegar1845 tarragon vinegar1845 cider vinegar1851 Orleansa1857 wood-acid1858 four thieves' vinegar1868 balsamic vinegar1982 1868 Paxton's Bot. Dict. Four thieves' vinegar, a preparation from Rosmarinus officinalis. four-tooth n. (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > group Ruminantia (sheep, goats, cows, etc.) > genus Ovus > [noun] > Ovus Aries (domestic sheep) > defined by age > two years old twinter1404 hoggerel1530 two-shear1788 four-tooth1793 bident1881 1793–1813 Agric. Surv. Dorset (E.D.S.) 8 Four-tooth, a two-year-old sheep. four-vector n. [after German Vierervektor (A. Sommerfeld 1910, in Ann. d. Physik 4th Ser. XXXII. 750)] Mathematics a vector defined by four scalar components, esp. a space-time vector in the theory of relativity. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > number > mathematical number or quantity > tensor > [noun] > vector > specific type of R1675 radius vector1740 spin vector1882 axial vector1903 polar vector1903 free vector1904 position vector1906 four-vector1914 pseudovector1922 row vector1928 1914 L. Silberstein Theory of Relativity v. 148 The length, thus defined, of a four-vector may be either real, or purely imaginary, or nil, according as we have..a space~like, a time-like, or a singular vector. 1952 E. G. Ramberg tr. A. J. W. Sommerfeld Electrodynam. iii. 213 The four-vector attains a meaning in the four-dimensional world which is independent of the choice of the coordinate system. 1968 Physics Bull. Nov. 370/2 The four-vector potential of the electromagnetic field. four-walled adj. having or enclosed within four walls. ΘΚΠ society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restraint depriving of liberty > confinement > [adjective] narroweOE narrowOE confininga1616 incarcerating1743 four-walled1905 the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > enclosing or enclosure > [adjective] > enclosed > by walls walledc1000 walled-in1777 vallated1888 four-walled1905 1905 Daily Chron. 18 Aug. 3/7 A four-walled prison life. 1908 C. W. Wallace Children of Chapel 7 The four-walled coach-court of the public inn. four walls n. the walls of a room or a house; hence, allusively, in reference to confinement within the limits of a (small) building. ΘΚΠ society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > wall of building > [noun] > collectively wallc900 four walls1849 society > authority > subjection > restraint or restraining > restraint depriving of liberty > confinement > [noun] > action of > that which cancels1596 four walls1849 1834 tr. V. Jacquemont Lett. from India I. 156 I was much more comfortable under it..than within four naked walls.] 1849 N. P. Willis Rural Lett. 17 Between five in the morning and ‘flower-shut’ I feel as if four walls and a ceiling would stop my breath. 1922 ‘E. Percy’ (title) If four walls told. 1930 Harrison & Cartwright (title) Within four walls. four-way n. (also four-ways) = four-crossway n. ΘΚΠ society > travel > means of travel > route or way > way, path, or track > junction of roads, paths, or tracks > [noun] > cross-roads carfax1357 carfour1477 cross1546 cross-way?1556 quatervois?1575 four-way1598 four-crosswaya1645 crossing1695 four-went way(s1777 cross-road1812 cross-street1825 intersectiona1864 1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Quadriuio, a fower-way, a way that hath fower turnings, a place where fower waies meete. 1891 ‘H. Haliburton’ Ochil Idylls 72 Peasants flock in from the fields to the four-ways. four-way adj. (in four-way cock or four-way valve) having communication with four pipes. ΘΚΠ society > occupation and work > equipment > other specific types of equipment > [adjective] > types of tap four-way1824 washerless1908 1824 ‘R. Stuart’ Descr. Hist. Steam Engine 161 A considerable improvement on the fourway-cock. 1841 S. C. Brees Gloss. Civil Engin. Four-way Cock..a description of valve..for passing the steam to the cylinder; it was invented by Leopold in about the year 1720. four-winged adj. having four wings or wing-like appendages. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > part of plant > reproductive part(s) > fruit or reproductive product > [adjective] > indehiscent or like an achene four-wingeda1711 nucamentaceous1829 samaroid1830 indehiscent1832 pseudospermic1835 nucamentous1840 pseudo-spermous1849 tetrapterous1860 achenial1863 cypselous1878 schizocarpous1905 the world > animals > animal body > general parts > body and limbs > [adjective] > relating to limbs > relating to wings or fins > having wings or fins > having four wings four-wingeda1711 a1711 T. Ken Urania in Wks. (1721) IV. 457 She'll strive to soar as high, As four-wing'd Seraphs fly. 1761 J. Ellis in Philos. Trans. 1760 (Royal Soc.) 51 931 They are followed by pretty large four-winged fruit. 1878 F. J. Bell & E. R. Lankester tr. C. Gegenbaur Elements Compar. Anat. 248 In the other four-winged orders. four-wings n. (see quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > perching birds > order Caprimulgiformes (nightjars, etc.) > [noun] > family Caprimulgidae > miscellaneous types of poorwill1862 four-wings1889 1889 Cent. Dict. Four-wings, a name of the goatsuckers or night-jars of the genera Macrodipteryx and Cosmetornis, in which some of the flight-feathers are so much elongated that the birds seem to have four wings. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < adj.n.OE
随便看	the boot is on the other leg the boot is on the wrong leg or foot the boot on the wrong leg or foot the border the borders the borough the both of us, you, them, etc the bottles of heaven the bottles of rain the bottles of the clouds the bottom drops out of the bottom falls out of the bottom of one's heart the bottom of the hour the bottomward the boundaries of location the bounds of location the bowery the bowl the boys the brain the brains the brave the brethren the bridgeward