I. ˈfō(ə)r, -ȯ(ə)r, -ōə, -ȯ(ə) adjective
Etymology: Middle English four, foure, from Old English fēower; akin to Old High German fior four, Old Norse fjōrir, Gothic fidwor, Latin quattuor, Greek tettares, tessares, Sanskrit catur
: being one more than three in number
four years
— see number table
II. pronoun, plural in construction
Etymology: Middle English four, foure, from Old English fēower, from fēower, adjective
: four countable persons or things not specified but under consideration and being enumerated
four are here
four were found
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English four, foure, from four, foure, adjective & pron.
1. : twice two : two times two : two twos : the square of two
2.
a. : four units or objects
a total of four
b. : a group or set of four
arranged by fours
3.
a. : the numerable quantity symbolized by the arabic numeral 4
b. : the figure 4
4. : four o'clock — compare bell table, time illustration
5. : the fourth in a set or series: as
a. : a playing card marked to show that it is fourth in a suit
b. : a domino with four spots on one of its halves
c. : a die with four spots on the side uppermost
d. : an article of clothing of the fourth size
wears a four
6. : something having as an essential feature four units or members: as
a. cricket
(1) : a hit that counts four runs
(2) : a hit from which four runs are scored
b.
(1) : a 4-oared racing boat
(2) : the crew of such a boat
(3) fours plural : races for 4-oared boats
c. : four cards of a kind (as in poker) — usually used in plural
d. fours plural : quarto
a book printed in fours
e. : a 4-cylinder engine or automobile
f. : a set of four players or contestants (as a table at bridge)
7. fours plural : the four feet or the hands and feet or knees — see on all fours at all fours