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.
If “Knight of Fortune” is a gentle nudge to the ribs, Misan Harriman’s “The After” is a two-by-four to the gut — and not in a good way.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2024
The center I-beam that ran the length of the house was twisted, and the two-by-four plate on top of it was only 7/8-inch thick due to being compressed.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 17, 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
“I used conventional two-by-four wood construction, which is a game-changer.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2021
All that remained was a charred foundation, a few blackened timbers, and the remains of a teetering brick chimney propped up by a single two-by-four.
From "Eleven" by Tom Rogers
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.
