The fourth estate reports on the government every day.
fourth estate
idiomJournalism or journalists considered as a group; the press.
Origin
first recorded 18th c.The three (in England) estates were originally the three classes of people who could participate in government, either directly or by electing representatives – originally the clergy, barons/knights, and the commons (though they changed over time). Later the "three estates" were misunderstood as being the three governmental powers necessary for legislation: the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons; from there, the idea of a "fourth estate" was often used in satirical or jocular expressions, before developing a fixed association with the Press. In the modern sense often attributed to Edmund Burke (1787), popularized by essayist William Hazlitt in the 19th century.
Many people believe that the fourth estate plays a vital role in keeping politicians honest and accountable.
By investigating corruption and challenging those in power, the fourth estate serves as a crucial check on the authority of the state.
- 01
break the fourth wall
To apparently communicate with reality directly, such as when characters of literature comment on the existence of a reader.
- 02
fourth gear
A maximal level of effort.
- 03
fourth wall
The imaginary invisible wall at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.