four

American  

[fawr, fohr] / fɔr, foʊr /

noun

• fours
  plural

1. a cardinal number, three plus one.

2. a symbol of this number, 4 or IV or IIII.

3. a set of this many persons or things.

4. a playing card, die face, or half of a domino face with four pips.

5. Jazz. fours, alternate four-bar passages, as played in sequence by different soloists.

   with guitar and piano trading fours.

6. Automotive.

   1. an automobile powered by a four-cylinder engine.

   2. the engine itself.

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adjective

1. amounting to four in number.

idioms

1. on all fours. all fours.

four British  

/ fɔː /

noun

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

2. a numeral, 4, IV, etc, representing this number

3. something representing, represented by, or consisting of four units, such as a playing card with four symbols on it

4. Also called: four o'clock. four hours after noon or midnight

5. cricket

   1. a shot that crosses the boundary after hitting the ground

   2. the four runs scored for such a shot

6. rowing

   1. a racing shell propelled by four oarsmen pulling one oar each, with or without a cox

   2. the crew of such a shell

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determiner

1. 1. amounting to four

      four thousand eggs

      four times

   2. ( as pronoun )

      four are ready

four More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing four

• between you and me and (the four walls)
• on all fours

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fours
  plural

Etymology

Origin of four

before 1000; Middle English four, fower, Old English fēower; cognate with Old High German fior ( German vier ), Gothic fidwor; akin to Latin quattuor, Greek tésseres ( Attic téttares )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

four fours

In-N-Out Burger recently added four California locations to its “opening soon” list: three in Southern California and one in the Central Valley, according to the company’s website.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

The four companies’ AI capital spending reached $410 billion last year, nearly triple the 2022 level.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

The country is home to four main kingdoms, the largest and most prominent being Buganda in the central region, which encompasses the capital Kampala.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

That idea became the musical firmament for “Rubber Soul,” which was recorded in a tight four weeks across 17 studio sessions and released in December 1965.

From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026

Hannah opens up her backpack, and Cam sorts through the key chains, searching for the four that call to him.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

By the time he was dismissed he had hit 16 fours and five sixes.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Over those two decades, Americans became accustomed to rates in the threes and fours.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

The chase had been set up by New Zealand's Tim Seifert, who struck a magnificent 72 off 38, featuring seven sixes and four fours in a brutal display of power.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Dottin then whacked back-to-back fours to keep her side in contention but Nicola Carey held her nerve with six needed off the final ball and Spirit finished 119-8.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

I tumble to the floor at the last stair, scrambling on all fours as I right myself.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson