fortieth, a. (n.)
(ˈfɔːtɪɪθ)
Forms: α. féowertiᵹoða, erron. -teoða (fem., neut. -ðe), 2 furteohte, 3 fowertiðe, -tuðe, -tiȝthe, fuwertiðe, fourtiand, 4 south. vourtaȝte, fourtithe, -tied, 5 fowrtyde, fortith, 6 fourteth, 7 fourtieth, 6– fortieth; β. 6 fourtyest.
[OE. féowertiᵹoða:—prehistoric *fiwortigunþon-, corresponding to ON. fertugonde, -ande (Sw. fyrationde, Da. fyrretyvende), f. forty on the analogy of tenth.
The rare 13th c. fourtiand is of Scandinavian origin. The 16th c. fourtyest is noteworthy as being formed with the same suffix as in the Low and High Ger. equivalents (Du. veertigste, OHG. fiorzugôsto); cf. also late Icel. fertugasti.]
The ordinal numeral belonging to the cardinal forty. the fortieth man: one man in forty. fortieth part: one of forty equal parts into which a quantity may be divided. Also absol. and quasi-n.
| c 1000 ælfric Deut. i. 3 On þam feowerteoðan ᵹeare. c 1175 Cott. Hom. 229 Drihten þa an þa furteohte deȝe his æristes astah to heofene. 1258 Charter of Hen. III, in Tyrrell Hist. Eng. (1700) II. App. 25 In the two and fowertiȝthe geare of ure crunninge. 1357 Lay Folks Catech. 152 The fourtied day after that he ras..he stegh in-till heuen. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. iv. 89 Of hys kynryk þe fowrtyde yhere. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) i. vi. 52 The fourtyest daye after his resurreccyon. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 51 Of which, scarce the fortieth man escaped with life. 1611 Bible Chron. xxvi. 31 In the fourtieth yeere of the reigne of Dauid. a 1631 Donne Love's Diet 23 Ah! what doth it availe To be the fourtieth name in an entail? 1724 Swift Drapier's Lett. Wks. 1755 V. ii. 138 It is not above the fortieth part in value to the rest of Britain. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. v. 145 In that fortieth of Isaiah how is that Jehovah set forth? 1800 Young in Phil. Trans. XCI. 55 A large card, divided..into fortieths of an inch. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) V. ix. vii. 324 All prelates [etc.]..were summoned to contribute at least a fortieth to this end. |