Meaning & use
four of a kind
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Meanings
phrasecountablesport
A poker hand with four cards of the same rank, such as four queens.
Grammar: Countable phrase; plural is four of a kinds, but the singular form is usually used even when talking about more than one hand.
Patterns
- have four of a kind
- get four of a kind
- draw four of a kind
He won the hand with four of a kind, four aces.
She was hoping to get four of a kind, but she only had three of a kind.
In poker, four of a kind beats a full house.
phrasecountable
A set of four things that are the same type or kind.
Grammar: Used more generally, often in the phrase 'four of a kind'.
Patterns
- four of a kind
- a set of four of a kind
The collection includes four of a kind: four identical vases.
She bought four of a kind, all the same color.
Common combinations
- have four of a kind
- I have four of a kind, so I'll raise.
- get four of a kind
- He got four of a kind on the last card.
- four of a kind beats a flush
- Remember, four of a kind beats a flush but loses to a straight flush.
Synonyms and how they differ
- quads
- Informal poker slang for four of a kind; use it in casual games, not in formal writing.
Commonly confused: four of a kind or four of a kind vs. full house?
four of a kind vs four of a kind vs. full house
A full house has three cards of one rank and two of another; four of a kind has four cards of the same rank and is a stronger hand.
Practice
In poker, which hand is stronger than four of a kind?
Choose one answer.
A straight flush (five cards in sequence, all of the same suit) is the only hand that beats four of a kind. A flush and a full house are both weaker, and three of a kind is much weaker.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “four of a kind”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.