four English · revision 2044

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=ine-pro *kʷetwer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /fɔː/, US /fɔːr/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|four]], earlier [[m|enm|fower]] (1122),^(Barnhart 1988) [[inh|ang|fēower]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) from [[gem-pro|*fedwores]],^(Etymonline) with cognates in [[ofs|fiūwer]], [[osx|fiwar]], [[nl|vier]], [[goh|fior]] (modern [[de|vier]]), [[non|fjórir]] and [[got|𐍆𐌹𐌳𐍅𐍉𐍂|tr=fidwōr]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) It goes back to [[ine-pro|*kʷetwer-|t=four]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the source also of [[la|quattuor]], [[grc|τέσσαρες|tr=téssares]], [[sga|cethair]], [[cy|pedwar]], [[lt|keturi]] and [[sa|चत्वारः|tr=catvā́raḥ]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(Hoad 1986) The Germanic f- is unexpected from Proto-Indo-European kʷ-, and the change has not been fully explained;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Watkins puts it down to the influence of the next numeral, [[five]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English ''fēower'', the number one more than three, is recorded about 725^(Barnhart 1988) and could also mean “four times”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The spelling ''four'' appears about 1280, after ''fower'' (1122) and ''fowr'' (before 1200).^(Barnhart 1988) As a noun ''four'' came to name many sets of four: a card or die face with four pips (1599),^(HTOED) a cricket hit scoring four runs (1837),^(HTOED) and a four-oared boat or its crew (1861).^(HTOED)^(Collins 2023) ''On all fours'' is from 1719, earlier ''on all four'' (14th century).^(Etymonline) A ''four-in-hand'' was a carriage drawn by four horses with one driver (1793) and later a loosely knotted necktie (1892).^(Etymonline) ''Four-letter word'', a euphemism for an obscene word, is attested from 1923.^(Etymonline) The ordinal [[fourth]], Old English ''fēortha'' and Middle English ''ferthe'', was later respelled after ''four''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''fēower''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1122 – ''fower''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1280 – the spelling ''four''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 14th century – ''on all four''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1599 – a card or die face with four pips.^(HTOED)

+ * 1719 – ''on all fours''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1793 – ''four-in-hand'', a carriage.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1837 – in cricket, a hit for four runs.^(HTOED)

+ * 1861 – a four-oared boat, or its crew.^(HTOED)

+ * 1892 – ''four-in-hand'', a necktie.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1923 – ''four-letter word''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[cardinal number]] one more than three; the numeral 4.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The fourth in a set or series.^(AHD)

+ # A group or set of four, such as a playing card with four pips.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Four o'clock.^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(cricket)'' A hit that reaches the boundary after touching the ground, scoring four [[run]]s.^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(rowing)'' A boat rowed by four people, or its crew.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Amounting to four in number.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fourth]]

+ * [[farthing]]

+ * [[fourteen]]

+ * [[forty]]

+ * [[quarter]]

+ * [[tetra-]]

+ * [[quadri-]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}