Even though both have Old English roots, the words forth and fourth are spoken similarly but are spelled differently and have different meanings and etymologies.
They’re homophones, which means they’re the same thing. We’ll explore the definitions and origins of forth and fourth, as well as the variations among them and some examples of how they’re used in sentences.
Key Takeaways
- “Forth” is an adverb meaning forward or onward in time, place, or order, while “fourth” is an ordinal number representing the position of an item after the third and before the fifth.
- “Forth” is used in phrases like “back and forth” to convey movement or progression, whereas “fourth” denotes a specific position in a sequence or series.
- Both words are part of the English language but serve different functions and should not be confused or used interchangeably.
Forth vs Fourth
Forth is a word that describes a numerical position, specifically the number four in a sequence. It can also refer to a programming language. Fourth is a word that is used to describe the numerical position following the third and coming before the fifth positions in the numeric table.
To proceed out from a beginning point, to arise from concealment or inactivity, forth signifies advancing in space, time, or degree.
The Forth is a classical or academic adverb that is rarely employed in everyday speech. It comes from the German terms fort and vort, which signify ahead and through, respectively.
The fourth position defines something or someone that is organized after the third position but before the 5th place. The fourth is an arbitrary numeral, a number that indicates where something or someone belongs in a series.
A fourth can also allude to a four-note musical interval or an automobile gear.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Forth | Fourth |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Forth refers to progressing out from a beginning spatial position, time, or degree, as well as emerging from inaction. | The fourth denotes anything and someone who is structured in the place that follows the third and precedes the fifth. |
| Start | Around 1605, the first record of back-and-forth is found. It is constituted of the term forth which signifies “towards the front.” | Before the 12th century, the word fourth was used for the first time. |
| Entity | The word “forth” has an entity as it is more about the move towards forward. | The word “fourth” has an entity, which is that it is a ranking system. |
| Synonyms | There are various synonyms for the word forth like, “forward,” “ahead,” “onwards,” etc. | There are a few synonyms for the word fourth like “quadrant,” “portion” or “quartern.” |
| Example | “Go forth and do likewise,” urged the preacher”, an illustration of the term forth. | “Will you be viewing firework displays on the Fourth of July (July 4)?” is an example of fourth. |
What Is Forth?
Going forward in time, location, or sequence is what the adverb “forth” denotes. When used with verbs like “bring,” “come,” and “place,” it merely demonstrates “to the front.”
The phrase “and so forth” means “and more of the same” or “etc.,” but “bear forth” implies “to talk for a long time,” and “set forth” implies “to offer a full writing or spoken explanation of anything.”
A stream in south-central Scotland is also known as the Forth. The implication is that, depending on the situation or the sentence, the word gets used.
When it comes to understanding the term, knowing how to get it is critical because forth is an adverb that can mean either ahead or forward.
For example, “The witch went forth at the time to summon a beast from the netherworld.” For example, “the army moved forth out of the marshes and into the highlands.
These are a few expressions that are being used. The word forth is used as a synonym for the word “forward.” As the word “forth” could be used in any situation, like moving forth in life or career, even for leaving the past and moving forth.
The usage of the word develops its essence.
What Is Fourth?
The numerical number four is represented by the word “fourth,” which is located between “third” and “fifth.” He’s “fourth in line at the baker,” for example.
Hitting fourth in baseball alludes to the cleanup hitter, who is the team’s greatest batter and is most likely to smash a home run and drive any runners on first, middle, or third base home.
Fourth gear is commonly found in automated and conventional gearboxes, which is also a music interval.
The term ”fourth” refers to any season’s fourth day. The Fourth of July is referred to as Independence Day in the USA. The term “fourth” can refer to a percentage, such as one-quarter, or even the last of four friends to participate in a card game.
It’s crucial to know when to use the term “fourth” in different contexts, such as when to say, “He received the 4th position in the course.”
“This storm is counted as the fourth storm of the period!” or “This is the fourth storm of the year!” The fourth is used in a variety of idioms and expressions, such as the fourth wall: According to “Showcases like The Office and Family Guy flagrantly disregard the fourth wall when the performers look right into the camera or even talk clearly to the viewer,” “The Fourth Estate doesn’t officially have political clout, but it changes politics,” as according to journalistic media.
Main Differences Between Forth and Fourth
- The word forth refers to moving away from a starting point in space, time, or level, and also emerging from inaction whereas the word fourth signifies anything or anyone who is constructed in the space between the third and fifth.
- The term “forth” was first used around 1605, which means “toward the front or forward,” whereas the term “fourth” was used for the first time before the 12th century.
- The word “forth” has an entity because it is primarily about forwarding mobility, whereas the word “fourth” does have an entity. After all, it is essentially a ranking system.
- While there are numerous synonyms for forth, such as “forth,” “ahead,” “onwards,” and so on, there are only a few for fourth, such as “quadrant,” “portion,” or “quartern.”
- Go forth and do likewise,” advised the preacher, is an example of the word forth, whereas “Will you be seeing firework displays on the Fourth of July (July 4)?” is an instance of the word fourth.
- https://pubs.nctm.org/view/journals/at/35/8/article-p14.xml
- https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/155360.155395
Last Updated : 18 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
