two-by-four

1 of 2

noun

: a piece of lumber approximately 2 by 4 inches as sawed and usually 1 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches when dressed

two-by-four

2 of 2

adjective

1
: small or petty of its kind
this house and its two-by-four gardenPhilip Barry
2
: measuring two units (such as inches) by four

Examples of two-by-four in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
When Murray arrived, Barnhill hit him in the back of the head with a shovel, then continued beating him with the shovel and a two-by-four, prosecutors said. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024 Napa Chardonnay may have been the style that prompted the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement, as wine drinkers began to move on from a style that tasted like a two-by-four dipped in butter in favor of more fruit forward, refreshing pours. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2024 At the sawmill Most single-family homes in North America are wood-frame construction featuring the ubiquitous two-by-four. William Booth, Washington Post, 31 Oct. 2023 Williams, who had been shot in the left leg, said someone stitched his wound on a two-by-four. CBS News, 14 Apr. 2023 The stud is simply a vertical two-by-four beam in the wall for structural support. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 30 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'two-by-four.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1884, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of two-by-four was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near two-by-four

Cite this Entry

“Two-by-four.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-by-four. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

two-by-four

noun
ˌtü-bə-ˈfō(ə)r,
-ˈfȯ(ə)r
: a piece of lumber sawed to approximately 2 by 4 inches (5 by 10 centimeters)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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