Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Quill, n. p. 1076The large, strong feather of a goose or other large bird;—used for writing-pens, &c. 2. Hence, the instrument of writing; a pen; as, the proper subject of his quill. Wotton. 3. A spine or prickle, as…Quill, v. t. p. 1076To plait, or to form with small ridges like quills or reeds; as, a woolen stuff quilled; to quill a ruffle. 2. To wind on a quill, as thread or yarn. Judd.Quill'-bit, n. p. 1076A kind of instrument for boring wood; a gouge-bit.Quill'-driv'er, n. p. 1076One who works with a pen; especially, a clerk.Quilled, a. p. 1076Furnished with quills;—used in composition. “A sharp-quilled porcupine.” Shak.Quil'let, n. p. 1076Subtilty; nicety; quibble. “These nice, sharp quillets of the law.” Shak.Quill'ing, n. p. 1076A narrow border or trimming of lace, and the like, folded or plaited so as somewhat to resemble a row of quills. Simmonds.Quill'-wort, n. p. 1076(Bot.) A cryptogamic aquatic plant (Isoetes lacustris), having a grass-like shape. It is found on the shallow bottoms of ponds in Europe and America.Quilt, n. p. 1076A cover or garment made by putting wool, cotton, or other substance, between two cloths, and sewing them together. “The beds were covered with magnificent quilts.” Arbuthnot.Quilt, v. t. p. 1076To stitch together with some soft and warm substance between, or in the interior of; as, a quilted bed-cover; a quilted coat. Dryden. 2. To sew with the stitch used in a quilt.Quilt'er, n. p. 1076One who quilts.Quilt'ing, n. p. 1076The act of forming a quilt. 2. The act or process of making a quilt or quilts by a party of ladies, especially for some charitable purpose. [U. S.] 3. A figured material for bed-quilts…Quī'nā, n. p. 1076The same as QUINIA.Quī'na-ry, a. p. 1076Consisting of five; arranged by fives; as, a quinary number. Boyle.Quī'nate, a. p. 1076(Bot.) Having five leaflets on a petiole. Martyn.Quinçe, n. p. 1076(Bot.) The fruit of the Cydonia vulgaris, so named from Cydonia, a town of Crete, famous for abounding with this fruit. It has an acid taste and pleasant flavor, and is much used in making pies…Quince, n. p. 1076(Bot.)Quince'-tree p. 1076The tree Cydonia vulgaris, which produces the quince.Quince'-wort, n. p. 1076(Bot.) A plant (Asperula cynanchica) found in Europe.Quinch, v. t. p. 1076To stir, wince, or flounce. [Obs.] Spenser.Quin-cūn'cial, a. p. 1076Having the form of a quincunx. 2. (Bot.) Having five leaves in a floral whorl, in estivation, so arranged that two are exterior, two wholly interior, and the fifth has one edge out and the other…Quin-cūn'cial-ly, adv. p. 1076In the manner or order of a quincunx.Quin'cunx, n. p. 1076An arrangement or disposition of things by fives in a square, one being placed in the middle of the square; especially, an arrangement, as of trees, in squares consisting of five trees, one at each…Quin-dē'ca-gŏn, n. p. 1076(Geom.) A plane figure with fifteen angles, and consequently fifteen sides. Hutton.Quīn'de-cēm'vir, n. p. 1076(Rom. Antiq.) One of an ecclesiastical college of fifteen men, whose chief duty was to take care of the Sibylline books.Quīn'de-cēm'vir-ate, n. p. 1076The body or office of the quindecemviri.Quin'dem or Quin'dism, n. p. 1076A fifteenth part. [Obs. and rare.]Quin'i-ā or Quin'i-nā or Qui'nine or Qui-nine', n. p. 1076(Chem.) A basic alkaloid obtained from various species of cinchona, especially from C. flava, and C. calisaya, or China regia. 2. (Med.) One of the salts of quinine, especially the sulphate, in which…Qui-nō'ā, n. p. 1076The seeds of Chenopodium quinoa, used in Chili and Peru, when made into porridge or cakes, for food; also, food thus made. Simmonds.Qui-noid'ine, n. p. 1076(Chem.) A bitter, uncrystallizable, resinoid substance, obtained in the preparation of quinine.Qui'nin-ism, n. p. 1076(Med.) The state of the system, or the aggregate of encephalic and neuropathic phenomena, resulting from overdoses of quinine.Quin'qua-gēs'i-mā, a. p. 1076Fiftieth. Quinquagesima Sunday, the Sunday which is about the fiftieth day before Easter;—called also Shrove Sunday.Quin-quăn'gu-lar, a. p. 1076Having five angles or corners.Quin'quar-tic'ū-lar, a. p. 1076Consisting of five articles. [Obs.] Sanderson.Quin'que-ăn'gled, a. p. 1076Having five angles; quinquangular.Quin'que-câp'su-lar, a. p. 1076(Bot.) Having five capsules.Quin'que-dēn'tate or Quin'que-dēn'tā-ted, a. p. 1076(Bot.) Five-toothed.Quin'que-fā'ri-ous, a. p. 1076(Bot.) Opening into five parts.Quin'que-fid, a. p. 1076(Bot.) Cut about half way from the margin to the base into five segments, with linear sinuses and straight margins, as a leaf; five-cleft.Quin'que-fō'li-ate or Quin'que-fō'li-ā'ted, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Having five leaves or leaflets.Quīn'que-lit'er-al, a. p. 1077Consisting of five letters.Quin'que-lā'bate or Quin'que-lā'bed, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Divided about to the middle into five distinct parts, with convex margins; five-lobed.Quin'que-lōc'u-lar, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Five-celled; having five cells, as a pericarp.Quin'que-nérved, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Having five nerves;—said of a leaf having four nerves or ribs branching out from the base, so that with the midrib they make five ribs. Henslow.Quin-quen-nā'li-ā, n. pl. p. 1077(Rom. Antiq.) Public games celebrated every five years.Quin-quĕn'ni-al, a. p. 1077Occurring once in five years, or lasting five years.Quīn-quēn'ni-āns, n. p. 1077A period of five years.Quin-quĕp'ar-tite, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Divided into five parts almost to the base. 2. Consisting of five parts.Quin'que-rème, n. p. 1077A galley having five seats or rows of oars.Quin'que-syl'la-ble, n. p. 1077A word of five syllables.Quin'que-välve or Quin'que-välv'ā-lar, a. p. 1077(Bot.) Having five valves, as a pericarp.Quin'que-vĭr, n. p. 1077(Rom. Antiq.) One of five commissioners appointed for some special object.Quin-qui′nā, n. p. 1077Peruvian bark.Quin'zy, n. p. 1077(Med.) An inflammation of the throat, or parts adjacent, especially of the fauces or tonsils, attended by painful and impeded deglutition, accompanied by inflammatory fever. It sometimes creates…Quint, n. p. 1077A set or sequence of five, as in piquet.Quint'ain, n. p. 1077An object to be tilted at. [Written also quintel and quintin.] It was sometimes the figure of a man, and often an upright post, on the top of which turned a cross-piece, on one end of which was fixed…Quint'al, n. p. 1077A hundred weight, either 112 or 100 pounds, according to the scale used. [Sometimes written and pronounced kentle.]Quint'an, a. p. 1077Occurring as the fifth, after four others; also, occurring once in five days, or every fifth day; as, a quintan fever. Dunglison.Quint'an, n. p. 1077(Med.) A fever the paroxysms of which return every fifth day.Quint'el, n. p. 1077See QUINTAIN.