four-handed

American  

[fawr-han-did, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˈhæn dɪd, ˈfoʊr- /

Also four-hand

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.

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four-handed British  

adjective

1. (of a card game) arranged for four players

2. (of a musical composition) written for two performers at the same piano

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Other Word Forms

• four-handedly adverb

Etymology

Origin of four-handed

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

In particular, the premiere of his four-handed paraphrase of "Powder Her Face."

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2015

Mr. Shorter brought his regular quartet, sometimes augmented by Mr. Hancock, who played four-handed piano sitting on the bench next to Danilo Pérez through the group’s intuitive, nebulous cohesion.

From New York Times • Aug. 5, 2013

Hancock and Elias engaged in some playful four-handed piano playing as the audience sang and clapped along with the musicians.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 30, 2012

Gone is the old Dock Green distinction between "two-handed and four-handed" beats.

From The Guardian • Jul. 20, 2010

The side winning a game serves first in the next game, and, in the four-handed game, either player on the side that has won the last game may take first service in the next game.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various