404

American  

[fawr-oh-fawr] / ˈfɔr oʊˈfɔr /

noun

1. Also called 404 error.  Computers. an error message sent by a web server to a browser when the user has typed an incorrect URL, tried to access a web page that is no longer available, or clicked on a broken link on a web page.

   They must have taken down their website;

   I keep getting that annoying “404 - File Not Found” message.

2. Slang. a person who is stupid or uninformed.

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404 British  

/ ˌfɔːəʊˈfɔː /

noun

1. slang a stupid or ineffectual person

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Etymology

Origin of 404

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

The company’s U.S. content chief, Chris Regina, told Jason Koebler of 404 Media in December 2024 that viewer resistance to AI-generated films stemmed from the manifest imperfections of the AI-generated images, and that as the product got better it would be competitive with live-action films.

From Los Angeles Times

But while humans are on hand in Alpha Schools as “guides,” internal documents leaked to journalist Emanuel Maibert of 404 Media found that the goal of the schools is to have “no humans in the loop.”

From Salon

These AI influencers "are mostly young white women," said Emanuel Maiberg of the 404 Media tech news outlet who has covered the trend.

From Barron's

PIF spent £404.7m in the first three years after buying the club in 2021.

From BBC

Only around a third of Angus’s 404 owners have plied their tokenized shares of the animal into the artists’ online Remorse Portal, signifying their wish to save his life.

From The Wall Street Journal