fourth — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. The ordinal form of the number four.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   The fourth model is called the enlightment model: Actors are seen to be responsible for problems but unable or unwilling to provide solutions. They are believed to need discipline provided by authoritative guidance. The Alcoholic Anonymous^([sic]) groups are considered prototypical for this model.

   Finnley is the fourth daughter of Jason and Kylie Kelce, having already welcomed Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett to the family.

Noun

1. The person or thing in the fourth position.

   Usage

   • singular

   Examples

   We are one F and two M's seeking the company of a fourth (M or F) for our spacious and friendly Somerville apt.

2. A quarter, one of four equal parts of a whole.

   Usage

   • US usage

   Synonyms

   fourth partquarterfarthing

3. The fourth gear of an engine.

   Usage

   • singular

4. A musical interval which spans four degrees of the diatonic scale, for example C to F (C D E F).

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Now I've heard there was a secret chord / That David played, and it pleased the Lord / But you don't really care for music, do ya? / It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth

5. One sixtieth of a third or tierce.

   Usage

   • Rare

   Examples

   […] thirds (sixtieths of seconds), fourths (sixtieths of thirds) and so on, but then it becomes very cumbersome.

Verb

1. To agree with a proposition or statement after it has already been thirded.

   Usage

   • Informal

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   If he remembered rightly what took place in the House on the first night of the session, the Attorney General would have to file an information, not only against the noble Lord who proposed the address, and the hon. Member for London who seconded it, but also against the hon. Member who thirded, and the noble Lord who fourthed it, and indeed against every Member in the House.

   A lisping young “Soundings,” or master’s assistant, sung out “I thecond the mothon,” instantly transferring his beer to our hero’s face. In short the resolution was thirded, fourthed, fifthed, and sixthed, all following suit with the swipes:[…]

   It was then moved, seconded, thirded, fourthed, and fifthed, “that Jarman be, and is hereby hung, and ought to be kicked.”

Adjective

1. coming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude

   Synonyms

   4thquaternary

   Examples

   the quaternary period of geologic time extends from the end of the tertiary period to the present

Noun

1. following the third position; number four in a countable series

   Broader terms

   rank

2. one of four equal parts

   Synonyms

   one-fourthone-quarterquarterfourth parttwenty-five percentquartern

   Broader terms

   common fractionsimple fraction

   Examples

   a quarter of a pound

3. the musical interval between one note and another four notes away from it

   Broader terms

   intervalmusical interval

Adverb

1. in the fourth place

   Synonyms

   fourthly

   Examples

   fourthly, you must pay the rent on the first of the month