- A deity among the ancient Syrians, in honor of whom the
Hebrew idolatresses held an annual lamentation. This deity has been
conjectured to be the same with the Phoenician Adon, or Adonis. - The fourth month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, --
supposed to correspond nearly with our month of July.
- A person in some way remarkable with regard to the
number four, as one born on the fourth day of the month, or one who
reverenced four persons in the Godhead.
- Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added
to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year
(365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four
years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more
than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress
the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible
by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by
400. - Pertaining to leap year.