forty

 
Pronunciation: /ˈfɔːti/

cardinal number (plural forties)

  • 1the number equivalent to the product of four and ten; ten less than fifty; 40: York was only forty miles away forty were arrested there were about thirty or forty of them (Roman numeral: xl or XL)
  • (forties) the numbers from forty to forty-nine, especially the years of a century or of a person’s life: Terry was in his early forties
  • forty years old: a tall woman of about forty
  • forty miles an hour: they were doing about forty
  • a size of garment or other merchandise denoted by forty.
  • 2 (the Forties) the central North Sea between Scotland and southern Norway, so called from its prevailing depth of forty fathoms or more. See also the roaring forties at roaring.
  • (Forties) a shipping forecast area covering the central North Sea east of Scotland.

Phrases

forty winks

informal a short sleep, especially during the day: I could do with forty winks right now

Derivatives

fortieth

ordinal number

fortyfold

adjective & adverb

Origin:

Old English fēowertig (see four, -ty2)

Spelling help

Remember that forty begins with for-.