fourth dimension
Preserved but no longer current.
The three dimensions of space universally recognized are length, breadth, and height; three in number because we can draw three lines, but no more, all at right angles to one another. A piece of line has only one dimension — length ; a region of a surface has two — length and breadth; a solid body in space has three.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “fourth dimension” mean?
The three dimensions of space universally recognized are length, breadth, and height; three in number because we can draw three lines, but no more, all at right angles to one another. A piece of line has only one dimension — length ; a region of a surface has two — length and breadth; a solid body in space has three.
Is “fourth dimension” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.