fourth meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

fourth

adj

UK /fɔːθ/ · US /fɔɹθ/

Etymology Inherited from Middle English fourthe, an alteration (due to four) of ferthe, from Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa, from Proto-West Germanic *feurþō, from Proto-Germanic *fedurþô, equivalent to four + -th (ordinal suffix). Cognates Compare West Frisian fjirde, Saterland Frisian fjädde, fjoode, Dutch vierde, German Low German feerde, feerd, German vierte, Danish fjerde, Icelandic fjórði.

1

The ordinal form of the number four.

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.2013 June 29, Leo Montada, “Coping with Life Stress”, in Herman Steensma, Riël Vermunt, editors, Social Justice in Human Relations Volume 2: Societal and Psychological Consequences of Justice and Injustice, Springer Science & Business Media, →ISBN, page 26:
Finnley is the fourth daughter of Jason and Kylie Kelce, having already welcomed Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett to the family.2025 April 2, Ben Morse, “‘Whoop, there she is!’: Jason and Kylie Kelce announce birth of fourth daughter”, in CNN:

Derived terms: 49 terms
fardel, farthing, firkin, fourth-class, fourth class, fourth contact, fourth cousin, fourth cover, fourth cranial nerve, Fourth Cycle, fourth-degree, fourth-degree burn, fourth digit, fourth dimension, fourth down, fourth estate, fourth finger, fourth freedom rights, fourth gear, fourth gender, fourth grade, fourth grader, fourthie, Fourth Industrial Revolution, fourthly, fourth market, Fourth Month, fourthness, fourth normal form, fourth official, Fourth of July, fourth-party logistics, fourth person, fourth point of contact, fourth position, fourth rail, fourth rate, fourth-rate, Fourth Reich, fourth slip, fourth stump, fourth trimester, fourth ventricle, fourth wall, fourth-wave feminism, Fourth World, fourth year, May the Fourth, may the fourth be with you

fourth

noun

Etymology Inherited from Middle English fourthe, an alteration (due to four) of ferthe, from Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa, from Proto-West Germanic *feurþō, from Proto-Germanic *fedurþô, equivalent to four + -th (ordinal suffix). Cognates Compare West Frisian fjirde, Saterland Frisian fjädde, fjoode, Dutch vierde, German Low German feerde, feerd, German vierte, Danish fjerde, Icelandic fjórði.

1

The person or thing in the fourth position.

We are one F and two M's seeking the company of a fourth (M or F) for our spacious and friendly Somerville apt.1978 April 8, “Classified advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 14:

2

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

3

The fourth gear of an engine.

4

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

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 fifth1984, Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”, in Various Positions:

5

Astronomy, Natural sciences Rare One sixtieth of a third or tierce.

[…] thirds (sixtieths of seconds), fourths (sixtieths of thirds) and so on, but then it becomes very cumbersome.1994, John David North, The Fontana History of Astronomy and Cosmology, page xxi:

Derived terms: augmented fourth, diminished fourth, Fourth of July, perfect fourth

fourth

verb

Etymology Inherited from Middle English fourthe, an alteration (due to four) of ferthe, from Old English fēorþa, fēowerþa, from Proto-West Germanic *feurþō, from Proto-Germanic *fedurþô, equivalent to four + -th (ordinal suffix). Cognates Compare West Frisian fjirde, Saterland Frisian fjädde, fjoode, Dutch vierde, German Low German feerde, feerd, German vierte, Danish fjerde, Icelandic fjórði.

1

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

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.1830 March 2, Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, volume XXII, London, page 1189:
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:[…]1854 January, “Tregonhorke’s First Trip in a Man-of-War”, in Hunt’s Yachting Magazine, volume the third, London: Hunt and Son, […]; Simpkin, Marshall, & Co., […], page 14:

1 more example

It was then moved, seconded, thirded, fourthed, and fifthed, “that Jarman be, and is hereby hung, and ought to be kicked.”1892 December 31, Talbot Baines Reed, “Tom, Dick, and Harry. A School Story.”, in The Boy’s Own Paper, volume XV, number 729, page 212, column 2: