foursome, a. and n. orig. Sc.
(ˈfɔəsəm)
[f. four a. + -some.]
A. adj.
1. a. Four (together). Also absol.
| 15.. Douglas K. Hart i. 198 The fouresum baid and huvit on the grene. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 145 For, wer ȝe foursum in a flok, I compt ȝow no{supt} a leik. |
b. Used for the nonce as adv.
| 1875 Morris æneid vii. 509 Come from the cleaving of an oak with foursome driven wedge. |
2. Performed by four persons together.
| 1814 Scott Wav. xxviii, Dancing full merrily in the doubles and full career of a Scotch foursome reel. 1884 J. Payne 1001 Nts. IX. 388 The Murebbes or foursome song occurs once only in the Nights. |
B. n.
1. Golf. A match in which four persons take part, two playing on each side.
| 1867 Cornh. Mag. Apr. 493 Perhaps you find three men who, with yourself, will make a good foursome. |
2. A company, party, or dance of four persons.
| 1926 [see eightsome a.]. 1926 Amer. Speech I. 630/2 The expressions onesome, twosome, threesome, foursome, fivesome, are coming to be used in other fields than golf, as a ‘threesome at tennis’, a ‘foursome for bridge’, a ‘fivesome for dinner’. 1971 Petticoat 17 July 15/1 Your friend wants you to make up a foursome with her boyfriend's unknown friend. 1971 G. Mitchell Lament for Leto i. 26 Do you play bridge?.. I want to make up a foursome. |