FOUR

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does four mean? 

• FOUR (noun)
  The noun FOUR has 2 senses:

1. the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

2. a playing card or domino or die whose upward face shows four pips

  Familiarity information: FOUR used as a noun is rare.

• FOUR (adjective)
  The adjective FOUR has 1 sense:

1. being one more than three

  Familiarity information: FOUR used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FOUR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

4; four; foursome; IV; Little Joe; quadruplet; quartet; quatern; quaternary; quaternion; quaternity; tetrad

Hypernyms ("four" is a kind of...):

digit; figure (one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A playing card or domino or die whose upward face shows four pips

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

four; four-spot

Hypernyms ("four" is a kind of...):

dice; die (a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the six faces; used in gambling to generate random numbers)

domino (a small rectangular block used in playing the game of dominoes; the face of each block has two equal areas that can bear 0 to 6 dots)

spot (a playing card with a specified number of pips on it to indicate its value)

• FOUR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being one more than three

Synonyms:

4; four; iv

Similar:

cardinal (being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order)

 Context examples 

At first, Edith tried eight-hour watches, but the continuous strain was too great, and afterwards she and Hans relieved each other every four hours.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Four or five minutes afterwards the sitting-room window will open.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What of my impetus and the stunning surprise, I clattered three or four steps along the deck before I could stop myself.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

There were twenty-four hours in each day.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Her brother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But there are still four cartridges in the revolver.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

For answer, all four men of our party threw themselves from their horses and dashed towards the cart.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

"Fifteen-two, fifteen-four an' a pair makes six," Matt was pegging up, when there was an outcry and sound of snarling without.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Each of them was lying on at least four chairs, and had a large rough jacket on.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I'd given one man and thought it too much, while he gave four without grudging them.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)