fourth

[fawrth, fohrth] /fɔrθ, foʊrθ/
adjective
1.
next after the third; being the ordinal number for four.
2.
being one of four equal parts.
3.
Automotive. of, pertaining to, or operating at the gear transmission ratio at which the drive shaft speed is greater than that of third gear for a given engine crankshaft speed, but not so great as that of fifth gear, if such exists:
fourth gear.
noun
4.
a fourth part, especially of one (¼).
5.
the fourth member of a series.
6.
Music.
  1. a tone on the fourth degree from a given tone (counted as the first).
  2. the interval between such tones.
  3. the harmonic combination of such tones.
7.
Automotive. fourth gear:
She downshifted from fifth to fourth as we started up the hill.
8.
(initial capital letter) Independence Day; the Fourth of July (usually preceded by the).
adverb
9.
in the fourth place; fourthly.
Origin
before 950; Middle English fourthe, Old English fēowertha. See four, -th2
Examples from the web for fourth
  • Abbott entices the reader to imagine how our own world would relate to a fourth spatial dimension.
  • One fourth to one half of the annual rainfall percolates downward, becoming groundwater.
  • The messages in the first three were pretty easy, but the fourth threw a few of you.
  • Or it may be that they belong to a fourth domain of living organism.
  • But the biggest surprise of all was reserved for the fourth article in the series.
  • Grow tomatoes in the same bed only every third or fourth year.
  • He is the author of three books and at work on his fourth.
  • While that's hardly unusual in academe, what is unusual is that it was my fourth attempt.
  • Still, the third film was enough of a success that a fourth installment was put into development.
  • But only this week, with the show's fourth episode, has the animation regained its original pulpy look.
British Dictionary definitions for fourth

fourth

/fɔːθ/
adjective (usually prenominal)
1.
  1. coming after the third in order, position, time, etc. Often written: 4th
  2. (as noun): the fourth in succession
2.
denoting the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in motor vehicles
noun
3.
(music)
  1. the interval between one note and another four notes away from it counting inclusively along the diatonic scale
  2. one of two notes constituting such an interval in relation to the other See also perfect (sense 9), interval (sense 5), diminished (sense 2)
4.
the fourth forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle: he changed into fourth as soon as he had passed me
5.
a less common word for quarter (sense 2)
adverb
6.
after the third person, position, event, etc
sentence connector
7.
as the fourth point: linking what follows with the previous statements, as in a speech or argument
Word Origin and History for fourth
adj.

mid-15c., alteration, by influence of four, of ferthe, from Old English feorða; see four + -th (1). Cf. Old Saxon fiortho, Old Norse fiorðe, Dutch vierde, Old High German fiordo, German vierte.

fourth in Medicine

fourth (fôrth)
adj.

  1. Coming after third, as in order, place, rank, time, or quality.

  2. Being the digit that is next to and on the outermost side of the third digit, as on a foot.

fourth n.