Two-by-four (noun)

A piece of lumber that is 2 inches (5 cm) thick and 4 inches (10 cm) wide.

Origin:

From the size of the lumber that is cut to 2 inches by 4 inches.

Examples:

1. He used a two-by-four to level the legs of the table.
2. The wall was built using two-by-fours and drywall.
3. The two-by-four was a versatile material for building.
4. The shelves were made from two-by-fours and plywood.
5. The two-by-four was cut to size to fit the space.