four score and seven years ago

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four score and seven years ago

87 years prior to today.

Etymology:

In Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, he used this widely known measure of "score," meaning "20 years." In modern language, it would be simply "87 years ago." However, the widespread familiarity of Lincoln's address, the unusual and poetic wording, and its status as the first words of the speech have caused the phrase to enter the public consciousness.

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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'four score and seven years ago':

four score and seven years ago	As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

four score and seven years ago

As an opener, a sometimes sarcastic indicator to indicate a past event being mentioned is particularly important.

See them all »

Translation

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أربع نقاط وقبل سبع سنوات

hace cuatro goles y siete años

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to four score and seven years ago

front and center forgive and forget Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse four-leaf clover free, white, and twenty-one full of piss and vinegar four-on-the-floor footloose and fancy free four-on-the-floor first and last free and easy four-eyes Flotsam and Jetsam foot and mouth

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Alex
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British
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British
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British
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Australian
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Australian
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Indian
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Indian
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US English
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British
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British
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US English
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South African

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"four score and seven years ago." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/four-score-and-seven-years-ago_3742>.

four score and seven years ago

Etymology:

Additional definitions for 'four score and seven years ago':

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