On his fourth, phr. (common).—Hopelessly drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.
Fourth Estate, subs. phr. (literary).—The body of journalists; the ‘Press.’ [Literally the Fourth Estate of the realm, the other three being Queen, Lords, and Commons.]
1855. Notes and Queries. 1 S. xi., p. 452.
1857. J. E. Ritchie, Night Side of London, p. 202. Let me say a word about these exceedingly seedy-looking individuals connected with the fourth estate.
Four-wheeler, subs. (common).—A steak.
2. (colloquial).—A four-wheeled cab; a growler (q.v.).
1873. Black, Princess of Thule, ch. 10. Having sent an all their luggage by a respectable old four-wheeler.
Fousty, adj. (colloquial).—Stinking [probably derived from foist, sense 3].
Fouter, verb, and Foutering, subs. (common).—To meddle, importune, waste time and tongue; the act of meddling, importunity, wasting time and tongue. E.g., ‘Don’t come foutering here!’ [From the French, foutre: the sense of which is intensified in a vulgarism of still fuller flavour].
Fox, subs. (old).—A sword; specifically, the old English broadsword. [Derivation dubious. Suggestions are: (1) from a maker’s name; (2) from the fox sometimes engraved on the blade; (3) from the Latin falx.] For synonyms, see Cheese-toaster and Poker.