Four by two


What's the meaning of the phrase 'Four by two'?

Jew.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Four by two'?

Cockney rhyming slang. Four inches by two inches is a size in which timber is sold in the UK. A ‘four by two’ is a timber batten.

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.