a. (sb.) Forms: α. féowertiȝoða, 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, 6ú fortieth; β. 6 fourtyest. [OE. féowertiȝoða:—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-sb.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Deut. i. 3. On þam feowerteoðan ȝeare.
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.
| That the fourtied day aftir that he ras | |
| Thurgh strenth of him-self 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 he ascended in to heuen.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 51. Of which, scarce the fortieth man escaped with life.
1611. Bible, 1 Chron. xxvi. 31. In the fourtieth yeere of the reigne of Dauid, they were sought for, and there were found among them mightie men of valour.
a. 1631. Donne, Love’s Diet, 23.
| Ah! what doth it availe, | |
| To be the fortieth name in an entaile? |
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. 144. In that fortieth of Isaiah, how is that Jehovah set forth?
1800. Young, in Phil. Trans., XCI. 55. A large card, divided by horizontal and vertical lines into fortieths of an inch.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), V. IX. vii. 324. All prelates and clergy in Latin Christendom were summoned to contribute at least a fortieth to this end.
