Four, fōr, adj. and n. two and two, a cardinal number.—adjs. Four′fold, folded four times: multiplied four times; Four′-foot′ed, having four feet; Four′-hand′ed, having four hands: of a game, played by four people; Four′-inched (Shak.), four inches broad.—ns. Four′-in-hand, a vehicle drawn by four horses, driven by one person: a team of four horses drawing a carriage—also adj.; Four′penny, a small silver coin worth fourpence formerly coined in England.—adj. worth fourpence.—n. Four′-post′er, a large bed with four posts on which to hang curtains.—adjs. Four′score, four times a score—80; Four′some, by fours: anything in which four act together—also n.; Four′square, having four equal sides and angles: square.—adjs. and ns. Four′teen, four and ten; Four′teenth, four or the fourth after the tenth.—adj. Fourth, next after the third.—n. one of four equal parts.—adv. Fourth′ly.—adj. Fourth′-rate, of the fourth class or order.—n. Four′-wheel′er, a carriage or cab with four wheels.—Go on all fours, to go on hands and knees. [A.S. féower; Ger. vier, L. quatuor, Gr. tessares.]
Fourchette, fōōr-shet′, n. a small forked instrument used for supporting the tongue in the operation of cutting the frenum: a forked piece between glove fingers, uniting the front and back parts. [Fr.]
Fourcroya, fōōr-krō′ya, n. a neotropical genus of Amaryllidaceæ, nearly allied to Agave (q.v.), and yielding a similar fibre. [Named from A. F. de Fourcroy, a French chemist (1755-1809).]
Fourgon, fōōr-gong′, n. a baggage-wagon. [Fr.]
Fourierism, fōō′ri-ėr-izm, n. the socialistic system of F. M. Charles Fourier (1772-1837), based on the harmony educed by the free-play of his twelve radical passions.
Foutre, fōō′tėr, n. (Shak.) a gross term of contempt, used interjectionally.—Also Fou′ter. [O. Fr. foutre—L. futuere, to lecher.]
Fouth, footh, n. (Scot.) abundance.—Also Fowth.
Fovea, fō′vē-a, n. (anat.) a depression or pit.—adjs. Fō′veal; Fō′veate, pitted.—n. Fovē′ola, a small depression—also Fovē′ole. [L.]
Fovilla, fō-vil′a, n. (bot.) the contents of a pollen-grain.
Fowl, fowl, n. a bird: a bird of the barn-door or poultry kind, a cock or hen: the flesh of fowl:—pl. Fowls, Fowl.—v.i. to kill fowls by shooting or snaring.—ns. Fowl′er, a sportsman who takes wild-fowl; Fowl′ing; Fowl′ing-net, a net for catching birds; Fowl′ing-piece, a light gun for small-shot, used in fowling. [A.S. fugol; Ger. vogel.]