Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) four people involved in sex together; it can involve any combination of genders.

1949		J.H. Burns Lucifer with a Book 91: Nydia and me got used to foursomes in hotel bedrooms. Understand, chum? Anything goes at our house.
1997–2002		Alt. Eng. Dict. 🌐 foursome (compound noun) four people involved in sex together. Refers to any combination of gender.
2015		Leontiades & Figart Husband Swap [ebook] Our one foursome experience had been really rather awkward [...] swapping partners midway meant different rhythms and different preferences .

(US black) a short time.

1971

(con. 1930s) D. Wells Night People 66: Baby, all I want is four bars after the gig.

see under bit n.¹

see under bone n.¹

‘I. Beware of a woman before. – II. Beware of a horse behind. – III. Beware of a cart sideways. – IV. Beware of a priest every way’ (Grose, 1785).

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

1. (US black) stupid, gullible.

1957

D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 18 May 13: When she says she’s behind in her rent, you’re a four-cornered fool if you give up one cent.

2. (US prison) caught in the act.

1992

Bentley & Corbett Prison Sl. 92: Four Cornered A person who is caught redhanded committing a crime.

(US) a small, out-of-the-way place.

1989

H. Rawson Dict. of Invective (1991) 306: East Jesus, four corners, ghost town.

group sex, involving two heterosexual couples.

1984

‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 114: He just likes a four-decker, can’t get it up otherwise.

(UK black) a saloon car.

2018-20

T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Four-door - saloon car.

see separate entries.

(US black) a .45 pistol.

1995

L. Stavsky et al. A2Z.

masturbation.

1995–2002		‘The World’s Largest Collection of Male Masturbation Synonyms’ at Worldwidewank.com 🌐 Four-knuckle shuffle (for those who lost a finger in ’Nam).
1996		‘FAQ’ on alt.sex.masturbation 🌐 88 Rubbin’ the rigid rod / 89 Playing pocket pool / 90 Four fingered shuffle.

(UK black) a .44 weapon.

2013		K. Koke ‘Destiny’ 🎵 Four fizzy sitting by my side like a western.
2017		Skepta ‘Round Here’ 🎵 Four fizzy in the air / One shot, two shot, three shot, clear.

see separate entries.

(W.I.) a flimsy or roughly constructed bed.

1936

cited in Cassidy & LePage Dict. Jam. Eng. (1980).

see separate entry.

a mix of ale and porter, sold at fourpence or sixpence a quart.

1872		Islington Gaz. 17 Sept. 3/4: The possibility of obtaining a pot o’ four-half might have proved one great attraction.
1877		J. Diprose London Life 42: His favourite beverage is a ‘pot o’ four arf’.
1882		Lincs. Chron. 11 Aug. 6/2: I’ll lay a dollar as he can’t drink a quart of four-half’s quick as I can.
1884		Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday 3 May 2/1: Against [...] ‘Burden and Heat of the Day’ poor dear Pa has noted ‘Four-half’ [...] I myself should have suggested champagne cup.
1887		‘’Arry on His Critics’ in Punch 17 Dec. 280/1: I’m ‘Fiz,’ not four ’arf, my dear feller.
1890		Sporting Times 22 Mar. 2/2: One who would do well in the four-half or ‘London pongelo’ department.
1896		Mirror of Life 18 July 14/4: A ‘pot of six-half.’ That was our old friend’s idea of a real treat.
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 3 Mar. 25/2: [T]he gallery night by night with flopping tears waters the flowers on the garden-hats in the stalls and cultivates droughts that only deep wells of ‘four half’ can dissipate.
1904		R. Free Seven Years Hard 69: Then I took ’im to the nearest pub., and told ’im to put a name to it. ‘Four-half,’ says he. ‘Pint o’ four-half, miss,’ says I.
1915		T. Burke Nights in Town 304: They would offer lavish apologies and pots of four-’arf.
1926		‘Sapper’ Final Count 810: Three of four-’alf, please, Miss.

(US black) very clever, exceptionally intelligent.

1994

C. Major Juba to Jive 180: Four-headed adj. (1930s) possesing great mental or magical abilities.

see separate entries.

(US prison) a shower.

2000

Other Side of the Wall: Prisoner’s Dict. July 🌐 Four Minute Job: Shower.

(US prison) a complete set of metal forms of restraints, i.e. cuffs, leg irons, waist chain, and security cover.

2000

Other Side of the Wall: Prisoner’s Dict. July 🌐 4 piece: A full set of restraints (cuffs, leg irons, waist, and security cover). (IA).

(US black) a gun.

1999

Hip-Hop Connection Aug. 21: 4 pound ‘We represent everyday with the 4-Pound,’ rapped someone or other. Another word for gun.

(Ulster) very expensive.

1997

Share Slanguage.

(N.Z. prison) a prison.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 73/2: four star hotel n. a prison.

sexual intercourse involving two couples.

1994

I. Welsh ‘A Smart Cunt’ in Acid House 253: I was into fours up, no question about it.

beer sold at fourpence a quart.

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 136/2: Four thick (Public-house). Fourpence per quart beer—the commonest there is (in London), and generally the muddiest. [Ibid.] 162/2: When your kick is empty, and your mouth is dry, your blooming pals will not give you a yannep to get a drop of four thick.

(US) a restaurant table that seats four customers.

1992

G.P. Pelecanos Firing Offense 54: [A] few tables were empty. A waitress directed us to a four-top.

a beefsteak.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

(US black) masturbation.

1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 237: four sisters on thumb street Masturbation.
2002		Anoninsac ‘Friendly Fuck’ 🌐 I needed to get laid. No really. I’m not just saying that. I really did need to get laid. Sometimes Missy Thumb and her four sisters just aren’t good enough.

(Aus.) to support, to back up.

1910

Bulletin (Sydney) 22 Dec. 13/4: Anyhow, I’ll go four on the robin.