Dictionary

two by four en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (Canada, US) A length of sawn wood of cross section nominally 2 inches by 4 inches (actual dimensions 1½ × 3½ in modern use), most often employed as structural framing lumber (dimensional lumber).
   • Well, Moses stood on the Red Sea shore, And smote the water with a two by four 1959, “Mary Don't You Weep”, performed by Nat King Cole:
   • Moses stood on the Red Sea shore, smotin' that water with a two by four (Can we date this quote?), “Linin' Track”, performed by Lead Belly:
2. (Canada, US, dated) A small, modest building.
   • He'll plan a two by four / But not for me. 1930, George, Ira Gershwin, “But Not for Me”:
3. (slang) Synonym of Tijuana Bible (“kind of pornographic comic book”).
   • […] the movie plot of Superman II, in which Superman and Lois Lane work up to a sexual liaison (which was seen before 1960 only in “two by fours” and similar pornographic comic strips.). 2008, Barry Schwartz, Abraham Lincoln in the Post-Heroic Era, page 354:

Forms

Deriveds

clue-by-four

Relateds

four by two

Synonyms

Tijuana Bible

Translations (4)

es cuartón (A length of sawn wood 2 inches by 4 inches — see also plank) · es cuartizo (A length of sawn wood 2 inches by 4 inches — see also plank) · bg бичме́ (A length of sawn wood 2 inches by 4 inches — see also plank) · fi kakkosnelonen (A length of sawn wood 2 inches by 4 inches — see also plank)