four-handed

[ fawr-han-did, fohr- ]

adjective

1. involving four hands or players, as a game at cards:

   Bridge is usually a four-handed game.

2. intended for four hands, as a piece of music for the piano.
3. having four hands, or four feet adapted for use as hands; quadrumanous.

four-handed

adjective

1. (of a card game) arranged for four players
2. (of a musical composition) written for two performers at the same piano

Derived Forms

• ˌfour-ˈhandedly, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of four-handed¹

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

The four-handed animals fill up the great chasm between the quadruped and the human species.

From Project Gutenberg

Julia performed some four-handed pieces on the piano with her mother.

From Project Gutenberg

Played an interesting game of four-handed chess by candle light before retiring.

From Project Gutenberg

Three or even two may play Pung Chow, though the game is essentially a four-handed affair.

From Project Gutenberg

They have hitherto been classed together in the same order with Apes which Blumenbach called Quadrumana (four-handed).

From Project Gutenberg