two-by-four
Americanadjective
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two units thick and four units wide, especially in inches.
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Informal. lacking adequate space; cramped.
a small, two-by-four room.
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Informal. unimportant; insignificant.
Theirs was a petty, two-by-four operation.
noun
noun
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a length of untrimmed timber with a cross section that measures 2 inches by 4 inches
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a trimmed timber joist with a cross section that measures 1 1/ 2 inches by 3 1/ 2 inches
Etymology
Origin of two-by-four
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The corridor, eight feet tall and 20 feet long, is built from ordinary wall board and exposed two-by-four struts.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2025
To craft a bass guitar, Aston took a two-by-four piece of wood and attached it to a square of plywood; down the neck he strung a curtain cord, with a wooden ashtray as the bridge.
From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024
If you’re on a slight hill, install temporary legs to make the top of the two-by-four box level and in position where your deck will eventually be.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 3, 2023
U.S. homes are often framed with two-by-four construction, and they need lighter windows than heavier-built European homes.
From Scientific American • Jan. 21, 2022
He just walked beside me, stiff as a two-by-four, asking “Are you okay?” every couple of minutes.
From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
