four by two
noun1
Australia, New Zealand, UK A length of sawn wood of cross section 4 inches by 2 inches, most often employed as structural framing lumber / timber.
- She would sit here sometimes, perched on a bag of concrete looking at the big lumps of four by two and imagining what she might do with them if she had a chance.1994, Peter Carey, Collected Stories, page 206:
- He eyed Norman, who was lifting one end of a four-by-two and sighting down it, as his Bendigo uncle had taught him to sight new beams, seeking out the bow.2009, Joy Dettman, Pearl in a Cage, page 110:
1 more example
- I found myself in overalls, work boots, gloves and protective glasses splitting planks of four-by-two and stacking them on pallets.[…]From rock star to Rajah of the Radio (Paul Keating′s line) to the ARIA Hall of Fame to being John Farnham′s manager for twenty-five years to a convicted criminal splitting four-by-twos.2010, Glenn Wheatley, Glenn Wheatley: Facing the Music, page 109:
- Synonyms
- two by four
- Hypernyms
- dimensional lumber, dimension lumber