Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Quar'ter-ing, a. p. 1073(Naut.) (a.) Sailing large, but not before the wind. Totten. (b.) Being on the quarter, or between the line of the keel and the beam, abaft the latter; as, a quartering wind. Dana.Quar'ter-ing, n. p. 1073A station. [Obs.] Mountagu. 2. Assignment of quarters for soldiers. 3. (Her.) The division of a shield containing many coats. See QUARTER. Ashmole. 4. (Arch.) A series of quarters, or small upright…Quar'ter-ing-blōck, n. p. 1073A block on which the body of one condemned to be quartered was cut in pieces. Macaulay.Quar'ter-lōok, n. p. 1073A side look; a quick glance. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Quar'ter-ly, a. p. 1073Containing or consisting of a fourth part; as, quarterly seasons. 2. Recurring at the end of each quarter of the year; as, quarterly payments of rent.Quar'ter-ly, n. p. 1073A periodical work published once in a quarter of a year, or four times during a year.Quar'ter-ly, adv. p. 1073By quarters; once in a quarter of a year; as, the returns are made quarterly. 2. (Her.) In quarters or quarterings; as, to bear arms quarterly.Quar'ter-mās'ter, n. p. 1073(Mil.) An officer whose duty is to provide quarters, provisions, storage, clothing, fuel, stationery, and transportation for the army, and superintend the supplies. 2. (Naut.) A petty officer who…Quar'tern, n. p. 1073The fourth part of a pint; a gill. 2. The fourth part of a peck. Simmonds. 3. A loaf made of a quarter of a stone (14 lbs.) of flour; a loaf weighing about four pounds;—called also quartern-loaf.…Quar'ter-nōte, n. p. 1073(Mus.) A note equal in duration to half a minim or the fourth part of a semibreve; a crotchet. See CROTCHET.Quar'ter-on, n. p. 1073A quarter of a pound. 2. A tale of some goods, or a quarter of a hundred with one added in. Simmonds. 3. A quadroon. See QUADROON.Quar'ter-round, n. p. 1073(Arch.) A molding, the section of which is exactly or approximately a quadrant, or the fourth part of a circle; the echinus or ovolo.Quar’ter-ses’sions, n. pl. p. 1073(Eng. Law.) A general court of criminal jurisdiction held quarterly by the justices of peace of each county. Blackstone. ☞ Quarter-sessions, in boroughs, are held by the recorders. Brande.Quar'ter-stāff, n. p. 1073A stout staff used as a weapon of defense;—so called from the manner of using it, one hand being placed in the middle, and the other half-way between the middle and end. Brande.Quar-tēt' or Quar-tēt'te, n. p. 1073(Mus.) (a.) A composition in four parts, each performed by a single voice or instrument. (b.) The set of four persons who perform a piece of music in four parts. 2. (Poet.) A stanza of four lines. 3.…Quar'tie, n. p. 1073(Math.) See QUANTIC.Quar'tile, n. p. 1073(Astrol.) An aspect of the planets, when they are distant from each other a quarter of the circle, ninety degrees, or three signs. Hutton.Quar'tine, n. p. 1073(Bot.) The fourth integument of the nucleus of a seed, reckoning the outermost as the first. It is only occasionally that there are more than two integuments. Lindley.Quar'to, n. p. 1073Originally, a book of the size of the fourth of a sheet of printing-paper; a size made by twice folding a sheet, which then makes four leaves; in present usage, a book of a square or nearly square…Quar'to, a. p. 1073Having the form or size of a quarto; formed of sheets folded so as to make four leaves.Quar'trĭdġe, n. p. 1073Quarterage. [Obs.] Swift.Quartz, n. p. 1073(Min.) Pure silex, occurring in pellucid, glassy crystals, having the form of a six-sided prism, terminated at each end by a pyramid; and also in masses of various colors, more or less transparent…Quartz-if'fer-ous, a. p. 1073(Min.) Consisting chiefly of quartz. Dana.Quartz'ite, n. p. 1073(Min.) Granular quartz. Dana.Quartz'oid, n. p. 1073(Crystallog.) A double six-sided pyramid, a form which may be imitated by uniting two regular six-sided pyramids base to base. Dana.Quartz-ōse' or Quartz'ous, a. p. 1073Quartz'y p. 1073Containing quartz; partaking of the nature or qualities of quartz; resembling quartz.Quās, n. p. 1073See QUASS.Quash, v. t. p. 1073To beat down or beat in pieces; to crush. The whales, Against sharp rocks, like reeling vessels quashed. Waller. 2. Hence, to crush; to subdue; to put down summarily and completely; to extinguish…Quash, v. i. p. 1073To be shaken with a noise. Sharp.Quash, n. p. 1073The same as SQUASH.Quash'ee, n. p. 1073A negro; — said to be derived from Quassy, a negro who first made known the medicinal virtues of one species of the quassia plant.Quā'sī p. 1073As if; in a manner; in a certain sense or degree; having the resemblance of something;—used as a prefix or first member of a compound; as, a quasi-contract, an act obliging a party in favor of…Quăs'i-mō'do, n. p. 1073(Rom. Cath. Church.) The first Sunday after Easter. Brande.Quăss, n. p. 1073A thin, sour beer, much used by the Russians, made by pouring warm water on rye or barley meal. [Written also quas.]Quas-sā'tion, n. p. 1073The act of shaking; concussion; the state of being shaken. Gayton.Quassiȧ, n. p. 1073A bitter wood obtained from various trees of the genus Quassia, all of which are natives of tropical America or the West Indies. The wood and bark are employed in medicine.Quăs'sīne or Quăs'sīte, n. p. 1073(Chem.) The bitter principle of Quassia amara of Central America, and Q. (Picræna) excelsa of Jamaica. ☞ This substance, by the aid of water, crystallizes in very small, white prisms. Its taste is…Quat, n. p. 1073A pustule or pimple. 2. A troublesome, insignificant person. Shak.Quat, v. t. p. 1073To satiate. [Obs.] “The stomach quatted with dainties.” Lyly.Quatch, a. p. 1073Squat; flat. [Obs. Shak.]Quā'ter-cou'sin, n. p. 1073A cousin within the first four degrees of kindred. [Obs.]Qua-tër'na-ry, n. p. 1073The number four. Boyle.Qua-tĕr'na-ry, a. p. 1073Consisting of four; by fours. 2. (Geol.) Older than, or previous to, the tertiary; —a term applied to strata supposed to be more ancient than the upper tertiary. Dana.Qua-tēr'nāte, a. p. 1073Composed of, or arranged in, sets of four. 2. (Bot.) Having the verticillate appendages arranged by fours. Henslow.Qua-tër'nate-pïn'nate, a. p. 1073(Bot.) Pinnate, with the pinnæ arranged in fours.Qua-tẽr'ni-on, n. p. 1073The number four. [Poet.] Milton. 2. A set of four parts, objects, or individuals. He put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him. Acts xii. 4. Ye elements, the…Qua-tẽr'ni-on, v. t. p. 1073To divide into files or companies. Milton.Qua-tẽr'ni-ty, n. p. 1073The number four. [Obs.] Browne.Qua'ter-on, n. p. 1073See QUADROON.Qua-tôrze', n. p. 1073The four aces, kings, queens, knaves, or tens, in the game of piquet; — so called because each quatorze reckons fourteen points.Quat'rāin, n. p. 1073(Poet.) A stanza of four lines rhyming alternately. Dryden.Quăt're-feūille or Quăt're-foil, n. p. 1073The same as QUARTER-FOIL.Quăt'u-or, n. p. 1073(Mus.) A quartet;— applied chiefly to instrumental compositions.Quāve, n. p. 1073The same as QUAVER. [Obs.]Quāve, v. i. p. 1073To quaver. [Prov. Eng.]Quāve'mīre, n. p. 1073The same as QUAGMIRE. [Obs.]Quā'ver, v. i. p. 1073To tremble; to vibrate; to shake. The finger . . . moved with a quavering motion. Newton. 2. Especially, to shake the voice; to utter or form sound with rapid vibrations, as in singing; to sing with…Quā'ver, n. p. 1073A shake or rapid vibration of the voice, or a shake on an instrument of music. 2. (Mus.) An eighth note. See EIGHTH.Quā'ver-er, n. p. 1073A warbler.