four 
dial. riropec, irerTapcf, Trtropec, ntirvpff = OBulg. 
chetyri = Kuss. chetvero = Lith. ketttri, Lett. 
chetri = Skt. chatur, Hiatrdr, four.] I. a. One 
more than three; twice two: a cardinal nu- 
meral : as, four legs ; four wheels. 
Her hair shall grow rough, mill her teeth shall grow lang, 
*nd on her /our feet shall she gang. 
KriHirion (Child's Ballads, I. 141). 
Four corners. See corner. 
II. . 1. A number, twice two or the sum of 
three and one ; the number of the fingers of one 
hand, without the thumb. 2. A symbol rep- 
resenting this number, as 4, IV, or iv. 3. A 
four-oared boat ; the crew of a four-oared boat. 
4. () A playing-card with four pips or spots 
on it. (6) In dice or dominoes, the face of a 
piece showing four spots, (c) pi. In the game 
of poker, a hand containing four cards of the 
same denomination, and ranking between a 
full and a straight flush. 5. A team of four 
horses harnessed together to draw a coach or 
other vehicle: as, a coach and four; a well- 
matched four. 6. pi. Same &sfourings. 
It is interesting, however, to note that in the eastern 
counties at harvest time bever cakes are made and hand- 
ed round to the harvesters in the afternoon, this refresh- 
ment being called fours, N. and Q., 7th ser., II. 306. 
Four o'clock, four hours after noon or midnight. To 
be, go, or run on all fours, or (formerly) on all four. 
(a) To go or run on the hands ami feet, or the hands and 
knees. 
Whilum thei went on allefour as doth wilde bestes. 
William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1788. 
I am almost founder'd 
In following him ; and yet I'll never leave him ; 
I'll crawl of all four first. Fletcher, Pilgrim, iv. 1. 
Tis Man, said he, who, weak by Nature, 
At first creeps, like his Fellow-Creature, 
Upon all four. Prior, Two Riddles. 
(6) To be perfect or consistent in all respects : as, the prop- 
osition does not run on all fours. 
No prophecy can be expected to go upon all fours. 
Southey, Doctor, xciv. 
This example is on all-fours with the other. Macaulay. 
It is exceedingly dangerous for him [the English lawyer] 
to ... endeavour. . . to pick out [from the Corpus Juris] 
a case 071 all fours with his own. 
Maine, Village Communities, p. 377. 
fourbt (f orb), n. [< F. fourbe, a tricb, cheat, im- 
posture, (fourbe, a., tricky, knavish (= It. fur- 
bo, a rogue, knave, cheat), perhaps < fourbir, 
furbish, polish, make bright: see furbish.'] A 
tricky fellow ; a cheat. 
The basest drudgery of a sycophant in flattering y Car- 
dinal, ... as where I can shew you him speaking of this 
fourb for one of the most learned persons of the age. 
Eoelyn, To Mr. Sprat. 
The referring these fourbs to the secretary's office to be 
examined always frustrated their designs. 
Roger North, Lord Guilford, II. 40. 
fourbt (forb), v. t. [< fourb, .] To cheat. 
I ask then how those who f 'ourbed others become dupes 
to their own contrivances. Gentleman Instructed, p. 370. 
f9urberyt(for'ber-i),. [<.fourb + -ery.~] Cheat- 
ing; trickery. 
You have unmask'd the fourbery, you have discover'd 
the imposture. Gentleman Instructed, p. 373. 
four-boater (for'bd"ter), n. A whaling-ship 
carrying four boats on the cranes. 
four-cant (for'kant), a. and n. [<four + can*l.] 
I. a. Consisting of four strands, as a rope. 
II. n. Four-stranded rope. 
four-centered (for'sen*t6rd), a. Described 
from four centers: noting a type of curve or 
arch, as the ogee arch or accolade. See cut 
under arch 1 . 
fourcht (forsh), . [< OF. fourche, < ~L.fu.rca, a 
fork: see/orfc.] In hunting, one of the forks 
or haunches of a deer. Also f ouch. 
fourcht (forsh), v. t. [< fourch, n.] To divide 
into four quarters, as a deer, 
fourche (for-sha'), [< F. fourche, pp. olfour- 
cher, fork: see fourch.'] In her., forked; hav- 
ing the extremities divided into 
two : said of any bearing, espe- 
cially of a cross. Also fourchi, 
furche. 
fburchette (for-shef), n. [P., 
dim. of fourche, a f ork : see fork."] 
1. In surg., an instrument used 
to raise and support the tongue 
during the operation of dividing 
the frenum. 2. In glove-making, the side of a 
finger, to which the front and back portions are 
sewed. Also forgette. 
Out of the parts left [from the pieces cut for hands] he 
cuts pieces for the thumbs and fourchettes or sides of the 
fingers usually pronounced "forgets." 
Chambern's Journal, quoted in Library Mag., July, 1886. 
3. In ornith., the furcula or united clavicles of 
a bird; the merrythought or wishbone of a 
148 
2353 fourquine 
fowl. 4. In amt., the frenulum pudendi ; the four-inched (for'incht), a. Four inches broad ; 
small thin fold just within the posterior com- 
missure of the vulva, separated therefrom by 
the fossa navicularis, and commonly ruptured 
in first parturition. 
fourchi, <t. See fourehd. 
four-cornered (for'kor'nerd), a. [< ME./OMJ-- 
c<iniarde,fowrecorneryd; <.four + corner + -ed 2 .] 
Having four corners or angles. 
They haue a foure-cornered garment, which some put on 
with the rest when they rise ; others, then when they will 
pray. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 194. 
Four-cornered cap. Seecapi. 
four-corners (f 6r'kor"nerz), n. pi. An old form 
of the game of bowls in which but four pins are 
used. See the extract. 
Four-corners is so called from four large pins which are 
placed singly at each angle of a square frame. . . . The 
excellency of the game consists in beating them down by 
the fewest casts of the howl. 
Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, p. 367. 
Fourcroya (for-kroi'a), n. See Furcrtea. 
fourfold (ior'f old), a." [< ME.fourfold,fourfald, 
< AS. fedwerfeald (= OFries. jiuwerfald = D. 
viervoud-ig = MLG. vervalt, veraold-ich = OHG. 
fienalt, MHG. viervalt, G. vierfalt-ig = ODan. 
firefold, Dan. firfold = Goth, fidurfalths), < 
feower, four, + -fcald, -fold.] Four times num- 
four-inch. [Rare.] 
The foul flend . . . made him proud of heart, to ride on 
a bay trotting-horse over four-inched bridges. 
Shak., Lear, iii. 4. 
fourings (for'ingz), n. [< four + -iHr/ 1 .] An 
afternoon meal taken at 4 o'clock in harvest- 
time. Also called fours. [Prov. Eng.] 
four-in-hand (for'in-hand), . and a. I. n. 1. 
A vehicle drawn by four horses driven by one 
person. 
Both 
expem 
ing, horse-racing, . . . driving four-in-hands, etc. 
N. A. Rev., CXXVI. 237. 
2. A team of four horses attached to a single 
vehicle, or matched for the purpose of being 
driven in this way. 
As quaint a four-in-hand 
As you shall see three pyebaliis and a roan. 
Tennyson, Walking to the Mail. 
II. a. 1 . Drawn by four horses driven by one 
person: as, a four-in-hand coach. 2. Having 
to do with a four-in-hand : as, a good four-in- 
hand driver. 
>th Oxford and Cambridge try to prevent extravagant 
IH lit inv on the part of students, by prohibiting gam* 
It is excessively pleasant to hear a couple of these four- 
in-hand gentlemen retail their exploits over a bottle. 
Irving, Salmagundi, No. 3. 
bered or reckoned; quadruple: as, a, fourfold f our .j inter (for'join*ter), n. An anglers' rod 
division. made in four joints or sections. [Colloq.] 
He shall restore the lamb fourfold. 2 Sam. xii. 6. four-lane-end (tor'lan-end), n. A place where 
Renowned Spenser, lye a thought more nigh f our roads meet. 
To learned Chaucer ; and rare Beaumont, lye 
A little nearer Spenser, to make roome He, being also anathematized, was interred */ 
For Shakspeare in your threefold, fourfold tombe. lane-end without the city. Anhaologw, VIII. 203. 
William Basse, On Shakspeare. fourling (for'ling), n. [< four + -ling*.] 1. 
four-footed (for'fut'ed), a. [< ME. fourefoted One of four children born at the same birth. 
(= Sw. fyrfotad = Dan. firfoddet); of. AS. [Bare.] 2. In mineral., a twin crystal made 
fe6werfete, also fytherfete, fytherfote = OFries. up of four independent individuals. See twin. 
Jtuwerfoted = D. viervoet-ig = MLG. vervoted, fourmt, See form. 
vervot-ich = OHG. fiorfuozi, G. vierfussig = L. fourneau (for-no'), n. ; pi. fourneaux (-noz'). 
guadrupes (-ped-), etc., four-footed: see quad- [F., a stove, furnace, chamber of a mine, etc., 
ruped, tetrapod."] Having four feet; quadru- < OF. fornel = Sp. fornelo = It. fornello, < ML. 
ped: as, a four-footed animal. fornellus, a fourneau, furnellus, a furnace, dim. 
fourgon (for-g6n'), n. [F., a van, baggage- of L. fornus, furnus, an oven; cf. for n ax, a fur- 
wagon.] An ammunition-wagon or tumbril ; a nace, and see furnace.'] Milit., the chamber of 
baggage-cart. a mine in which the powder is lodged. 
"We have had, of course," said the young lady, who foUT-O'clOCk (for'o-klok'), w. 1. The Austra- 
was rather reserved and haughty, "to leave the carriages lj an friar-bird or leatherhead, Tropidorhynchus 
andfouryon at Martigny." Dickens, Little Dorrit, xxxvii. 
four-handed (for'han*'ded), a. 1. Having four 
hands; quadrumanous. 
A temperature sufficiently high for arboreal Mammalia 
of the four-handed order. 
Owen, British Fossil Mammals and Birds, p. 3. 
corniculatus : so called from its cry, which is 
fancied to sound like four o'clock. See cut un- 
der friar-bird. 2. The marvel-of -Peru, Mira- 
bilis jalapa : so called from the fact that its 
flowers open in the afternoon. 3. Same as 
2. Done or played by four hands, or by four foumart (for'part), a. In music, having four 
persons : as, a four-handed piece for the piano ; vo i ces or par t s j n the harmony. 
Cross Fourche. 
def.) + -ism."] The communistic system pro- 
pounded by the French socialist Charles Fourier 
(1772-1837), based on his philosophy of the pas- 
sions and affections. According to his plan, society 
was to be organized into phalanxes or associations united 
by the principle of attraction, each large enough for all in- 
dustrial and social requirements (estimated at about 1,800), 
arranged in groups according to occupations, capacities, 
and attractions, living in phalansteries or common dwell- 
ings, and guaranteeing to every memberthe means of self- 
support, or maintenance under disability, and opportuni- 
ties for the harmonious development of all his faculties 
and tastes. Several phalansteries were established in 
France and the United States ; but it was not found prac- 
ticable to carry out his plans fully in any of them, and 
their existence was brief. Also called associationism. 
The most skilfully combined, and with the greatest fore- 
sight of objections, of all the forms of socialism, is that 
commonly known as Fourierism. 
J. S. Mitt, Pol. Econ., II. i. 4. 
F ourierismvtsa brought to America about 1840, and soon 
found numerous advocates, includingmanynames of which 
America is proud. 
R. T. Ely, French and German Socialism, p. 107. 
Fourierist (f o'ri-er-ist), . [< Fourier (see def. ) 
4- -is*.] An adherent of the system propound- 
ed by Charles Fourier. See Fourierism. 
According to the Fourierists, scarcely any kind of use- 
ful labour is naturally and necessarily disagreeable, unless 
it is either regarded as dishonourable or is immoderate in 
degree. J. S. Will, Pol. Econ., II. i. 4. 
Fourieristic (f8'ri-er-is,'tik), a. [< Fourierist 
+ -ic.] Relating to Charles Fourier or his 
socialistic system; based on the principles of 
Fourierism : as, a Fourieristic scheme. 
All the strictly Fourieristic experiments tried in France 
thus far have fulled. 
R. T. Ely, French and German Socialism, p. 102. 
Fourierite (f6'ri-er-it), a. and . [< Fourier 
(see def.) + -ite%."\ I. a. Pertaining to Fourier 
or to Fourierism. 
II. . Same as Fourierist. 
Fourpenny Piece of Queen Victoria. 
(Size of the original.) 
four pence, equal to 
one third of a shil- 
ling, or about eight 
cents of United 
States money. 2. 
A small silver coin 
of this value, usu- 
ally called a four- 
penny bit or four- 
penny piece, and sometimes a groat. See groat 
and joey. 
fourperice-halfpenny (for 'pens-hap 'e-ni or 
-ha'pen-i), n. A name popularly given in New 
England to a small Spanish coin, the half-real 
(of Mexican plate), the value of which was 
equal to 4J<i. of the old New England currency, 
or 6^ cents. Also called fippenny bit, or fp, 
in Pennsylvania and several of the Southern 
States. 
fourpenny (for'pen-i), a. 1. That may be pur- 
chased for fourpence : as, fourpenny calico ; a 
quart of fourpenny ale. 2. Of the value of 
fourpence : as, & fourpenny piece or bit. [Eng. 
in both senses.] 
four-poster (for'p6s"ter), n. A large bed hav- 
ing four posts for curtains. 
"Will you allow me to in-qnire why you make up your 
bed under that 'ere deal table? " said Sam. " 'Cause I was 
always used to a.. four-poster afore I came here, and I find 
the legs of the table answer just as well, "replied the cob- 
bler. Dickens, Pickwick Papers, xliv. 
Nobody mistook their pew for their fmir-poster during 
the sermon. C. Reode, Never too Late to Mend, vii. 
four-pounder (for'poun'der), n. A cannon car- 
rying a ball of the weight of 4 pounds. 
fourquinet (for-keV), n. [F., < fourche, fork: 
see fork."] The musket-rest used in the six- 
teenth century. See fork, 2 (c) (2). 
