Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Coming next after the third in position, order, or sequence: Used to describe the item in the fourth position in a series.
   • Constituting one of four equal parts: Equivalent to a quarter.

2. Noun:

   • One of four equal parts: A quarter; one-fourth of a whole.
   • The position following the third in a countable series: The number four in an ordered list.
   • A musical interval: The interval between one musical note and another four diatonic scale degrees above or below it.

3. Adverb:

   • In the fourth place: Used to introduce the fourth point in a sequence or list.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • She finished in fourth place in the race.
  • He ate a fourth of the pizza. (Here, 'fourth' means one quarter).

• Noun:

  • Cut the cake into fourths.
  • The violinist played a perfect fourth.
  • He was the fourth to arrive.

• Adverb:

  • First, we need a plan. Second, we need funding. Third, we need a team. And fourth, we need a timeline.

Advanced Usage

• "The Fourth": In American English, a common reference to Independence Day, the Fourth of July.

  • We're having a barbecue for the Fourth.

• "Fourth dimension": A theoretical dimension beyond the three spatial dimensions, often used in physics or science fiction.

  • The concept of time as the fourth dimension.

Variants and Related Words

• Fourthly (adverb): Synonym for 'fourth' when used as an adverb to list points.

  • Fourthly, I must address the budget concerns.

• Quarter (noun): A common synonym for one-fourth.

  • A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Quaternary, 4th.
• Noun: Quarter, one-fourth, 25 percent.

Related Phrases

• Fourth estate: A term for the press or news media.

  • The role of the fourth estate is to hold power accountable.

• Fourth wall: In theater and film, the imaginary wall separating the performers from the audience. Breaking the fourth wall means addressing the audience directly.

  • The comedian broke the fourth wall to tell a joke to the crowd.

Adjective

1. coming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude
   • the quaternary period of geologic time extends from the end of the tertiary period to the present

Noun

1. the musical interval between one note and another four notes away from it
2. one of four equal parts
   • a quarter of a pound
3. following the third position; number four in a countable series

Adverb

1. in the fourth place
   • fourthly, you must pay the rent on the first of the month