Q – Quavering

Q

Q is the seventeenth letter of the English Alphabet; an articulation borrowed from the oriental koph or qoph, Hebrew. It is supposed to be an articulation more deeply guttural than that of K; indeed it might have been pronounced as we pronounce qu; for we observe that in the Latin language, from which the moderns have borrowed the letter, it is always followed by u, as it is in English. This letter is not in the Greek alphabet. This letter is superfluous; for ku or koo, in English, have precisely the same sounds as qu. It is alleged that in expressing q the cheeks are contracted, and the lips put into a canular form, for the passage of the breath; circumstances which distinguish it from k. This appears to be a mistake. This position of the organs is entirely owing to the following letter u; and kuestion and question are pronounced precisely alike, and with the same configuration of the organs. It appears then that q is precisely k, with this difference in use, that q is always followed by u in English, and k is not. q never ends an English word.

As a numeral, q stands for 500, and with a dash above the q for 500, 000.

Used as an abbreviation, q stands for quantity, or quantum; as among physicians, q pl. quantum placet, as much as you please; q s quantum sufficit, as much as is required, or as is sufficient.

Among mathematicians, q E.D. stands for quod erat demonstrandum, which was to be demonstrated; q E.F. quod erat faciendum, which was to be done.

In English, q is an abbreviation for question.

Quab

QUAB, noun

A fish of Russian rivers, which delights in clear water.

Quachilto

QUACHIL'TO, noun A Brazilian fowl of the moor-hen kind, of a fine black color variegated with white. It voice resembles the crowing of a cock.

Quack

QUACK, verb intransitive

1. To cry like a duck or goose.

2. To boast; to bounce; to talk noisily and ostentatiously; as, pretenders to medical skill quack of their cures.

QUACK, noun [from the verb.]

1. A boaster; one who pretends to skill or knowledge which he does not possess.

2. A boastful pretender to medical skill which he does not possess; an empiric; an ignorant practitioner.

Quackened

QUACK'ENED, adjective Almost choked or suffocated.

Quackery

QUACK'ERY, noun The boastful pretensions or mean practice of an ignoramus, particularly in medicine; empiricism.

Quackish

QUACK'ISH, adjective Like a quack; boasting of skill not possessed; trickish.

Quackism

QUACK'ISM, noun The practice of quackery.

Quackled

QUACK'LED,

QUACK'SALVER, noun

One who boasts of his skill in medicines and salves, or of the efficacy of his prescriptions; a charlatan.

Quacksalver

QUACK'SALVER, n. One who boasts of his skill in medicines and salves, or of the efficacy of his prescriptions; a charlatan.

Quad

QUAD, adjective Evil; bad. [Not used.]

Quadragene

QUAD'RAGENE, noun [Latin quadrageni.] A papal indulgence multiplying remissions by forties.

Quadragesima

QUADRAGES'IMA, noun [Latin quadragesimus, fortieth, from quatuor, four.]

Lent; so called because it consists of forty days.

Quadragesimal

QUADRAGES'IMAL, adjective [supra.] Belonging to Lent; used in Lent.

Quadragesimals

QUADRAGES'IMALS, noun plural [supra.] Offerings formerly made to the mother church on mid-lent Sunday.

Quadrangle

QUAD'RANGLE, noun [Latin quadratus, square, from quatuor, four, and angulus, angle.]

In geometry, a quadrilateral figure; a square; a figure consisting of four sides and four angles.

Quadrangular

QUADRAN'GULAR, adjective [supra.]

1. Square; having four sides and four angles.

2. In botany, having four prominent angles, as a stem or leaf.

Quadrant

QUAD'RANT, noun [Latin quadrans, a fourth.]

1. The fourth part; the quarter.

2. In geometry, the quarter of a circle; the arc of a circle containing ninety degrees; also, the space or area included between this arc and two radii drawn from the center to each extremity.

3. An instrument for taking the altitudes of the sun or stars, of great use in astronomy and navigation. Quadrants are variously made, but they all consist of the quarter of a circle whose limb is divided into ninety degrees; or, as in Hadley's reflecting quadrant an arc of forty five degrees is made to serve the same purpose as an arc of ninety degrees.

Quadrant of altitude, an appendage of the artificial globe, consisting of a slip of brass of the length of a quadrant of one of the great circles of the globe, and graduated. It is filled to the meridian and movable round to all points of the horizon. It serves as a scale in measuring altitudes, azimuths, etc.

Quadrantal

QUADRANT'AL, adjective [supra.] Pertaining to a quadrant; also, included in the fourth part of a circle; as quadrantal space.

QUADRANT'AL, noun [supra.] A vessel used by the Romans; originally called amphora. It was square and contained 80 pounds of water.

Quadrat

QUAD'RAT, noun [Latin quadratus, squared.]

1. In printing, a piece of metal used to fill the void spaces between words, etc. Quadrats are of different sizes; as m-quadrats, etc.

2. A mathematical instrument, called also a geometrical square, and line of shadows.

Quadrate

QUAD'RATE, adjective

1. Square; having four equal and parallel sides.

2. Divisible into four equal parts.

3. Square; equal; exact.

4. Suited; fitted; applicable; correspondent.

QUAD'RATE, noun

1. A square; a surface with four equal and parallel sides.

2. In astrology, an aspect of the heavenly bodies, in which they are distant from each other ninety degrees, or the quarter of a circle; the same as quartile.

QUAD'RATE, verb intransitive [Latin quadro.]

To suit; to correspond; to agree with; to be accommodated; followed by with.

Aristotle's rules for epic poetry - cannot be supposed to quadrate exactly with modern heroic poems.

Quadratic

QUADRAT'IC, adjective Square; denoting a square or pertaining to it.

Quadratic equation, in algebra, an equation in which the unknown quantity is of two dimensions, or raised to the second power; or one in which the highest power of the unknown quantity is a square.

Quadratrix

QUAD'RATRIX, noun

1. A square or squared figure.

2. In geometry, a mechanical line by means of which we can find right lines equal to the circumference of circles or other curves and their several parts.

Quadrature

QUAD'RATURE, noun [Latin quadratura.]

1. The act of squaring; the reducing of a figure to a square. Thus the finding of a square which shall contain just as much area as a circle or a triangle, is the quadrature of that circle or triangle.

2. A quadrate; a square.

3. In astronomy, the aspect of the moon when distant from the sun 90 degrees or a quarter of the circle; or when the moon is at an equal distance from the points of conjunction and opposition.

Quadrature of curves, in mathematics, the finding of rectilineal figures containing the same areas as figures bounded by curved lines.

Quadrel

QUAD'REL, noun In architecture, a kind of artificial stone made of chalky earth and dried in the shade for two years; so called from being square.

Quadrennial

QUADREN'NIAL, adjective [Latin quadriennium; quadra or quadrans, from quatuor, four, and annus, year.]

1. Comprising four years; as a quadrennial period.

2. Occurring once in four years as quadrennial games.

Quadrennially

QUADREN'NIALLY, adverb Once in four years.

Quadrible

QUAD'RIBLE, adjective [Latin quadro, to square.] That may be squared.

Quadricapsular

QUADRICAP'SULAR, adjective [Latin quadra and capsula.]

In botany, having four capsules to a flower; as a quadricapsular pericarp.

Quadridecimal

QUADRIDEC'IMAL, adjective [Latin quadra and decem.]

In crystallography, designating a crystal whose prism or the middle part has four faces and two summits, containing together ten faces.

Quadridentate

QUADRIDEN'TATE, adjective [Latin quadra and dentatus, toothed.]

In botany, having four teeth on the edge.

Quadrifid

QUAD'RIFID, adjective [Latin quadrifidus; quadra and findo, to divide.]

In botany, four-cleft, as a quadrifid perianth; cut into four segments, with linear sinuses and straight margins, as a quadrifid leaf.

Quadrijugous

QUADRIJU'GOUS, adjective [Latin quadra and jugum, yoke.]

In botany, pinnate, with four pairs of leaflets; as a quadrijugous leaf.

Quadrilateral

QUADRILAT'ERAL, adjective [Latin quadra, or quatuor, four, and latus, side.] Having four sides and four angles.

QUADRILAT'ERAL, noun A figure having four sides and four angles; a quadrangular figure.

Quadrilateralness

QUADRILAT'ERALNESS, noun The property of having four right lined sides, forming as many right angles.

Quadriliteral

QUADRILIT'ERAL, adjective [Latin quadra, or quatuor, four, and litera, letter.]

Consisting of four letters.

Quadrille

QUADRILLE, noun quadril', or cadril'.

1. A game played by four persons with 40 cards, being the remainder of the pack after the four tens, nines and eights are discarded.

2. A kind of dance.

Quadrilobate

QUAD'RILOBATE,

QUAD'RILOBED, adjective [Latin quadra, or quatuor, four, and lobe, Gr.]

In botany, having four lobes; as a quadrilobed leaf.

Quadrilobed

QUAD'RILOBED, a. [L. quadra, or quatuor, four, and lobe, Gr.] In botany, having four lobes; as a quadrilobed leaf.

Quadrilocular

QUADRILOC'ULAR, adjective [Latin quadra, quatuor, and loculus, a cell.]

Having four cells; four-celled; as a quadrilocular pericarp.

Quadrin

QUAD'RIN, noun [Latin quadrinus.] A mite; a small piece of money, in value about a farthing. [Not in use.]

Quadrinomial

QUADRINO'MIAL, adjective [Latin quadra, quatuor, and nomen, name.]

Consisting of four denominations or terms.

Quadripartite

QUADRIP'ARTITE, adjective [Latin quadra, quatuor, and partitus, divided.]

Divided into four parts, or consisting of four corresponding parts.

Quadripartitely

QUADRIP'ARTITELY, adverb In four divisions; in a quadripartite distribution.

Quadripartition

QUADRIPARTI'TION, noun A division by four or into four parts; or the taking the fourth part of any quantity or number.

Quadriphyllous

QUADRIPH'YLLOUS, adjective [Latin quadra, quatuor, four, and Gr. leaf.] Having four leaves.

Quadrireme

QUAD'RIREME, noun [Latin quadriremis; quatuor, four, and remus, oar.]

A galley with four benches of oars or rowers.

Quadrisyllable

QUADRISYL'LABLE, noun [Latin quadra, quatuor, and syllable.] A word consisting of four syllables.

Quadrivalve

QUAD'RIVALVE,

QUAD'RIVALVES, noun plural [Latin quadra, quatuor, and valva, valve.] A door with four folds or leaves.

Quadrivalves

QUAD'RIVALVES, n. plu. [L. quadra, quatuor, and valva, valve.] A door with four folds or leaves.

Quadrivalvular

QUADRIVALV'ULAR, adjective In botany, having four valves; four-valved; as a quadrivalve pericarp.

Quadrivial

QUADRIV'IAL, adjective [Latin quadrivium; quatuor, four, and via, way.] Having four ways meeting in a point.

Quadroon

QUADROON', noun [Latin quadra, quatuor.] In Spanish America, the offspring of a mulatto woman by a white man; a person quarter-blooded.

Quadruman

QUAD'RUMAN, noun [Latin quadra and manus, hand.]

An animal having four hands or limbs that correspond to the hands of a man, as a monkey.

Quadrumanous

QUAD'RUMANOUS, adjective Having four hands; four-handed.

Quadrune

QUAD'RUNE, noun A gritstone with a calcarious cement.

Quadruped

QUAD'RUPED, adjective [Latin quadrupes; quadra, quatuor, four, and pes, foot.] Having four legs and feet.

QUAD'RUPED, noun An animal having four legs and feet, as a horse, an ox, a lion, etc.

Quadruple

QUAD'RUPLE, adjective [Latin quadruplus; quadra, quatuor, and plico, to fold.]

Fourfold; four times told; as, to make quadruple restitution for trespass or theft.

QUAD'RUPLE, noun Four times the sum or number; as, to receive quadruple the amount in damages or profits.

Quadruplicate

QUADRU'PLICATE, adjective Fourfold; four times repeated; as a quadruplicate ratio or proportion.

QUADRU'PLICATE, verb transitive [Latin quadruplico; quatuor and plico, to fold.] To make fourfold; to double twice.

Quadruplication

QUADRUPLICA'TION, noun The act of making fourfold and taking four times the simple sum or amount.

Quadruply

QUAD'RUPLY, adverb To a fourfold quantity; as, to be quadruply recompensed.

Quaere

QUAERE, [Latin] Inquire; better written query, which see.

Quaestor

QUAESTOR. [See Questor.]

Quaff

QU'AFF, verb transitive

To drink; to swallow in large draughts.

He quaffs the muscadel.

They in communion sweet quaff immortality and joy.

QU'AFF, verb intransitive To drink largely or luxuriously.

Quaffed

QU'AFFED, participle passive Drank; swallowed in large draughts.

Quaffer

QU'AFFER, noun One that quaffs or drinks largely.

QU'AFFER, verb transitive To feel out. [Not in use.]

Quaffing

QU'AFFING, participle present tense Drinking; swallowing draughts.

Quaggy

QUAG'GY, adjective [supposed to be from the root of quake.]

Yielding to the feet or trembling under the foot, as soft wet earth.

Quagmire

QUAG'MIRE, noun [that is, quake-mire.] Soft wet land, which has a surface firm enough to bear a person, but which shakes or yields under the feet.

Quahaug

QUAHAUG, noun quaw'hog. In New England, the popular name of a large species of clams or bivalvular shells. [This name is probably derived from the natives.]

Quaid

QUAID, adjective or participle passive [for quailed.] Crushed, subdued, or depressed. [Not used.]

Quail

QUAIL, verb intransitive [Quail, in English, signifies to sink or languish, to curdle, and to crush or quell.]

1. To sink into dejection; to languish; to fail in spirits. [Little used.]

2. To fade; to wither. obsolete

QUAIL, verb intransitive

To curdle; to coagulate; as milk.

QUAIL, verb transitive To crush; to depress; to sink; to subdue. [This orthography is obsolete. The word is now written quell.]

QUAIL, noun

A bird of the genus Tetrao or grouse kind, or according to Latham's arrangement, of the genus Perdix, in which he comprehends the partridge and quail In New England, the name is applied to a peculiar species of the perdix, which is called partridge in the middle states, but it is neither the partridge nor quail of Europe.

Quail-Pipe

QUA'IL-PIPE, noun A pipe or call for alluring quails into a net; a kind of leathern purse in the shape of a pear, partly filled with horse hair, with a whistle at the end.

Quailing

QUA'ILING, participle present tense Failing; languishing. obsolete

QUA'ILING, noun The act of failing in spirit or resolution; decay. obsolete

Quaint

QUAINT, adjective [The latter word would lead us to refer quaint to the Latin accinctus, ready, but Skinner thinks it more probably from comptus, neat, well dressed.]

1. Nice; scrupulously and superfluously exact; having petty elegance; as a quaint phrase; a quaint fashion.

To show how quaint an orator you are.

2. Subtle; artful. obsolete

3. Fine-spun; artfully framed.

4. Affected; as quaint fopperies.

5. In common use, odd; fanciful; singular; and so used by Chaucer.

Quaintly

QUA'INTLY, adverb

1. Nicely; exactly; with petty neatness or spruceness; as hair more quaintly curled.

2. Artfully.

Breathe his faults so quaintly

3. Ingeniously; with dexterity.

I quaintly stole a kiss.

Quaintness

QUA'INTNESS, noun

1. Niceness; petty neatness or elegance.

There is a majesty in simplicity, which is far above the quaintness of wit.

2. Oddness; peculiarity.

Quake

QUAKE, verb intransitive

1. To shake; to tremble; to be agitated with quick but short motions continually repeated; to shudder. Thus we say, a person quakes with fear or terror, or with cold. Hebrews 12:21.

2. To shake with violent convulsions, as well as with trembling; as, the earth quakes; the mountains quake Nahum 1:5.

3. To shake, tremble or move, as the earth under the feet; as the quaking mud.

QUAKE, verb transitive To frighten; to throw into agitation. [Not used.]

QUAKE, noun A shake; a trembling; a shudder; a tremulous agitation.

Quaker

QUA'KER, noun One that quakes; but usually, one of the religious sect called friends. This name, quakers, is said to have been given to the sect in reproach, an account of some agitations which distinguished them; but it is no longer appropriated to them by way of reproach.

Quakerism

QUA'KERISM, noun The peculiar manners, tenets or worship of the quakers.

Quakerly

QUA'KERLY, adjective Resembling quakers.

Quakery

QUA'KERY, noun Quakerism.

Quaking

QUA'KING, participle present tense Shaking; trembling.

QUA'KING, noun A shaking; tremulous agitation; trepidation.

Daniel 10:7.

Quaking-Grass

QUA'KING-GRASS, noun An herb.

Qualifiable

QUAL'IFIABLE, adjective [from qualify.] That may be qualified; that may be abated or modified.

Qualification

QUALIFICA'TION, noun

1. Any natural endowment or any acquirement which fits a person for a place, office or employment, or enables him to sustain any character with success. Integrity and talents should be considered as indispensable qualifications for men entrusted with public affairs; but private interest and party-spirit will often dispense with these and all other qualifications.

There is no qualification for government but virtue and wisdom, actual or presumptive.

2. Legal power or requisite; as the qualifications of electors.

3. Abatement; diminution.

4. Modification; restriction; limitation. words or expressions may be used in a general sense, without any qualification

Qualified

QUAL'IFIED, participle passive Fitted by accomplishments or endowments; modified.

Qualified fee, in law, a base fee, or an estate which has a qualification annexed to it, and which ceases with the qualification, as a grant to A and his heirs, tenants of the manor of Dale.

Qualified negative, in legislation, the power of negativing bills which have passed the two houses of the legislature; a power vested in the president, governor or other officer, but subject to be overruled and defeated by a subsequent vote of the two houses, passed in conformity with the provisions of the constitution.

Qualified property, is that which depends on temporary possession, as that in wild animals reclaimed.

Qualifiedness

QUAL'IFIEDNESS, noun The state of being qualified or fitted.

Qualifier

QUAL'IFIER, noun He or that which qualifies; that which modifies, reduces, tempers or restrains.

Qualify

QUAL'IFY, verb transitive [Latin qualis, such, and facio, to make.]

1. To fit for any place, office, occupation or character; to furnish with the knowledge, skill or other accomplishment necessary for a purpose; as, to qualify a man for a judge, for a minister of state or of the gospel, for a general or admiral. Holiness alone can qualify men for the society of holy beings.

2. To make capable of any employment or privilege; to furnish with legal power or capacity; as, in England, to qualify a man to kill game.

3. To abate; to soften; to diminish; as, to qualify the rigor of a statute.

I do no seek to quench your love's hot fire, but qualify the fire's extreme rage.

4. To ease; to assuage.

5. To modify; to restrain; to limit by exceptions; as, to qualify words or expressions, or to qualify the sense of words or phrases.

6. To modify; to regulate; to vary; as, to qualify sounds.

Qualifying

QUAL'IFYING, participle present tense Furnishing with the necessary qualities, properties or accomplishments for a place, station or business; furnishing with legal power; abating; tempering; modifying; restraining.

Quality

QUAL'ITY, noun [Latin qualitas, from qualis, such.]

1. Property; that which belongs to a body or substance, or can be predicated of it. Qualities are natural or accidental. thus whiteness is a natural quality of snow; softness is a natural quality of wool and fur; hardness is a natural quality of metals and wood; figure and dimension are the natural qualities of solids; but a particular figure, as a cube, a square or a sphere, is an accidental or adventitious quality The fluidity of metals is an accidental quality Essential qualities are such as are necessary to constitute a thing what it is. Sensible qualities are such as are perceptible to the senses, as the light of the sun, the color of cloth, the taste of salt or sugar, etc.

2. Nature, relatively considered; as the quality of an action, in regard to right and wrong.

Other creatures have not judgment to examine the quality of that which is done by them.

3. Virtue or particular power of producing certain effects; as the qualities of plants or medicines.

4. Disposition; temper.

Tonight we'll wander through the streets, and note the qualities of people.

5. Virtue or vice; as good qualities, or bad qualities.

6. Acquirement; accomplishment; as the qualities of horsemanship, dancing and fencing.

7. Character.

The attorney partakes of both qualities, that of a judge of the court, and that of attorney general.

8. Comparative rank; condition in relation to others; as people of every quality

We obtained acquaintance with many citizens, not of the meanest quality

9. Superior rank; superiority of birth or station; as persons of quality; ladies of quality

10. Persons of high rank, collectively.

I shall appear at the masquerade dressed up in my feathers, that the quality may see how pretty they will look in their traveling habits.

Qualm

QU'ALM, noun quam.

1. A rising in the stomach, as it is commonly called; a fit of nausea, or a disposition or effort of the stomach to eject its contents.

2. A sudden fit or seizure of sickness at the stomach; a sensation of nausea; as qualms of heart-sickagony.

For who, without a qualm hath ever look'd on holy garbage, though by Homer cook'd?

3. A scruple of conscience, or uneasiness of conscience.

Qualmish

QU'ALMISH, adjective quamish. [supra.] Sick at the stomach; inclined to vomit; affected with nausea or sicklylanguor.

Qualmishness

QU'ALMISHNESS, noun Nausea.

Quamoclit

QUAM'OCLIT, noun A plant of the genus Ipomoea.

Quandary

QUAN'DARY, noun Doubt; uncertainty; a state of difficulty or perplexity.

QUAN'DARY, verb transitive To bring into a state of uncertainty or difficulty. [Not used.]

Quantitative

QUAN'TITATIVE, adjective [See Quantity.] Estimable according to quantity.

Quantitive

QUAN'TITIVE, adjective [See Quantity.] Estimable according to quantity.

Quantity

QUAN'TITY, noun [Latin quantitas, from quantus, how much, or as much as.]

1. That property of any thing which may be increased or diminished.

This definition is defective, and as applicable to many other properties as to quantity A definition strictly philosophical cannot be given. In common usage, quantity is a mass or collection of matter of indeterminate dimensions, but consisting of particles which cannot be distinguished, or which are not customarily distinguished, or which are considered in the aggregate. Thus we say, a quantity of earth, a quantity of water, a quantity of air, of light, of heat, of iron, of wood, of timber, of corn, of paper. But we do not say, a quantity of men, or of horses, or of houses; for as these are considered as separate individuals or beings, we call an assemblage of them, a number of multitude.

2. An indefinite extent of space.

3. A portion or part.

If I were sawed into quantities. [Not in use.]

4. a large portion; as a medicine taken in quantities, that is, in large quantities.

5. In mathematics, any thing which can be multiplied, divided or measured.

Thus mathematics is called the science of quantity In algebra, quantities are known and unknown. Known quantities are usually represented by the first letters of the alphabet, as a, b, c, and unknown quantities are expressed by the last letters, x, y, z, etc. Letters thus used to represent quantities are themselves called quantities. A simple quantity is expressed by one term, as + a, or - abc; a compound is expressed by more terms than one, connected by the signs, + plus, or -minus, as a + b, or a - b + c. quantities which have the sign + prefixed, are called positive or affirmative; those which have the sign - prefixed are called negative.

6. In grammar, the measure of a sullable; that which determines the time in which it is pronounced.

7. In logic, a category, universal, or predicament; a general conception.

8. In music, the relative duration of a note or syllable.

Quantity of matter, in a body, is the measure arising from the joint consideration of its magnitude and density.

Quantity of motion, in a body, is the measure arising from the joint consideration of its quantity of matter and its velocity.

Quantum

QUAN'TUM, noun [Latin] The quantity; the amount.

Quantum meruit, in law, an action grounded on a promise that the defendant would pay to the plaintiff for his service as much as he should deserve.

Quantum valebat, an action to recover of the defendant for goods sold, as much as they were worth.

Quarantine

QUAR'ANTINE, noun [Latin quartus, fourth; Eng. quart. See Quart and Square.]

1. Properly, the space of forty days; appropriately, the term of forty days during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of being infected with a malignant, contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the city or place. Hence,

2. Restraint of intercourse to which a ship is subjected on the presumption that she may be infected, either for forty days or for any other limited term. It is customary for the proper officers to determine the period of restraint at their discretion, according to circumstances. Hence we hear of a quarantine of five days, of ten, of thirty, etc. as well as of forty. We say, a ship performs quarantine or rides at quarantine We also apply the word to persons. The passengers and crew perform quarantine

3. In law, the period of forty days, during which the widow of a man dying seized of land, has the privilege of remaining to the mansion house.

QUARANTINE, verb transitive To prohibit from intercourse with a city or its inhabitants; to compel to remain at a distance from shore for forty days, or for other limited period, on account of real or supposed infection; applied to ships, or to persons and goods.

Quarantined

QUARANTINED, participle passive Restrained from communication with the shore for a limited period; as a ship or its crew and passengers.

Quarantining

QUARANTINING, participle present tense Prohibiting from intercourse with the port; as a ship or its crew and passengers.

Quarre

QUARRE, for quarry, not in use.

Quarrel

QUAR'REL, noun [Latin queror, to complain, that is, to cry out with a loud voice. Hence we see the primary sense is the same as brawl. The Latin queror coincides in elements with to call, to bawl, to shout, and gearan, a complaint. Heb.

1. A brawl; a petty fight or scuffle; from its noise and uproar.

2. A dispute; a contest.

On open seas their quarrels they debate.

3. A breach of friendship or concord; open variance between parties.

4. Cause of dispute.

The king's quarrel is honorable.

5. Something that gives a right to mischief, reprisal or action.

He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him. [Not used.]

6. Objection; ill will, or reason to complain; ground of objection or dispute.

Herodias had a quarrel against him. Mark 6:19.

7. Something peevish, malicious, or disposed to make trouble. [Not used.]

QUAR'REL, noun

1. An arrow with a square head. [Not used unless in poetry.]

2. A pane of glass; a square. [See Quarry and Square.]

QUAR'REL, verb intransitive

1. To dispute violently or with loud and angry words; to wrangle; to scold. How odious to see husband and wife quarrel!

2. To fight; to scuffle; to contend; to squabble; used of two persons or of a small number. It is never used of armies and navies in combat. Children and servants often quarrel about trifles. Tavern-haunters sometimes quarrel over their cups.

3. To fall into variance.

Our people quarrel with obedience.

4. To find fault; to cavil.

I will not quarrel with a slight mistake.

Men at enmity with their God, quarreling with his attributes - quarreling with the being that made them, and who is constantly doing them good.

5. To disagree; to be at variance; not to be in accordance in form or essence.

Some things arise of strange and quarr'ling kind, the forepart lion, and a snake behind.

QUAR'REL, verb transitive

1. To quarrel with.

2. To compel by a quarrel; as, to quarrel a man out of his estate or rights.

Quarreler

QUAR'RELER, noun One who quarrels, wrangles or fights.

Quarreling

QUAR'RELING, participle present tense Disputing with vehemence or loud angry words; scolding; wrangling; fighting; finding fault; disagreeing.

QUAR'RELING, noun [supra.] Contention; dispute in angry words; breach of concord; a caviling or finding fault; disagreement.

Quarrelous

QUAR'RELOUS, adjective Apt or disposed to quarrel; petulant; easily provoked to enmity or contention. [Little used.]

Quarrelsome

QUAR'RELSOME, adjective Apt to quarrel; given to brawls and contention; inclined to petty fighting; easily irritated or provoked to contest; irascible; choleric; petulant.

Quarrelsomely

QUAR'RELSOMELY, adverb In a quarrelsome manner; with a quarrelsome temper; petulantly.

Quarrelsomeness

QUAR'RELSOMENESS, noun Disposition to engage in contention and brawls; petulance.

Quarried

QUAR'RIED, participle passive Dug from a pit or cavern.

Quarry

QUAR'RY, noun

1. A square; as a quarry of glass. [Not in use.]

2. An arrow with a square head. [See Quarrel. Not in use.]

3. In falconry, the game which a hawk is pursuing or has killed. [Perhaps from Latin quaero.]

4. Among hunters, a part of the entrails of the beast taken, given to the hounds.

QUAR'RY, noun [I know not whether the original sense of this word was a pit or mine, from digging, or whether the sense was a place for squaring stone. Latin curro. If the sense was a pit, it may be referred to the Heb.]

1. A place, cavern or pit where stones are dug from the earth, or separated from a large mass of rocks. We generally apply the word mine to the pit from which are taken metals and coal; from quarries are taken stones for building, as marble, freestone, slate, etc.

2. In Paris, the quarries are a vast cavern under the city, several miles in extent.

QUAR'RY, verb intransitive To prey upon, as a vulture or harpy. [A low word and not much used.]

QUAR'RY, verb transitive To dig or take from a quarry; as, to quarry marble.

Quarrying

QUAR'RYING, participle present tense Digging stones from a quarry.

Quarryman

QUAR'RYMAN, noun A man who is occupied in quarrying stones.

Quart

QUART, noun quort. [Latin quartus.]

1. The fourth part; a quarter. [Not in use.]

2. The fourth part of a gallon; two pints.

3. A vessel containing the fourth of a gallon.

4. A sequence of four cards in the game of picket.

Quartan

QUARTAN, quort'an. [Latin quartanus, the fourth.]

Designating the fourth; occurring every fourth day; as a quartan ague or fever.

QUART'AN, noun

1. An intermitting ague that occurs every fourth day, or with intermissions of seventy two hours.

2. A measure containing the fourth part of some other measure.

Quartation

QUARTA'TION, noun In chimistry and metallurgy, the operation by which the quantity of one thing is made equal to the fourth part of another thing.

Quarter

QUARTER, noun quort'er. [Latin quartus, the fourth part.]

1. The fourth part; as the quarter of an hour or of a mile; one quarter of the expense. Living is a quarter dearer in the city than in the country.

2. In weight, the fourth part of a hundred pounds avoirdupois, or of 112lb., that is, 28lb.; as a quarter of sugar.

3. In dry measure, the fourth of a ton in weight, or eight bushels; as a quarter of wheat.

4. In astronomy, the fourth part of the moon's period or monthly revolution; as the first quarter after the change or full.

5. A region in the hemisphere or great circle; primarily, one of the four cardinal points; as the four quarters of the globe; but used indifferently for any region or point of compass. From what quarter does the wind blow? Hence,

6. A particular region of a town, city or country; as all quarters of the city; in every quarter of the country or of the continent. Hence.

7. Usually in the plural, quarters, the place of lodging or temporary residence; appropriately, the place where officers and soldiers lodge, but applied to the lodgings of any temporary resident. He called on the general at his quarters; the place furnished good winter quarters for the troops. I saw the stranger at his quarters.

8. Proper station.

Swift to their several quarters hasten then -

Bacon uses the word in the singular. 'Make love keep quarter '

9. On board of ships, quarters signifies the stations or places where the officers and men are posted in action. Pipe all hands to quarters.

10. In military affairs, the remission or sparing of the life of a captive or an enemy when in one's power; mercy granted by a conqueror to his enemy, when no longer able to defend himself. In desperate encounters, men will sometimes neither ask nor give quarter The barbarous practice of giving no quarter to soldiers in a fortress taken by assault, is nearly obsolete.

He magnified his own clemency, now they were at his mercy, to offer them quarter for their lives, if they would give up the castle.

Lambs at the mercy of wolves much expect no quarter

11. Treatment shown to an enemy; indulgence.

To the young, if you give tolerable quarter you indulge them in idleness and ruin them. [Rarely used.]

12. Friendship; amity; concord. [Not in use.]

13. In the slaughter house, one limb of a quadruped with the adjoining parts; or one fourth part of the carcase of a quadruped, including a limb; as a fore quarter or hind quarter

14. In the menage, the quarters of a horse's foot are the sides of the coffin, between the toe and the heel. False quarters are a cleft in the horn of the hoof, extending from the coronet to the shoe, or from top to bottom. When for any disorder, one of the quarters is cut, the horse is said to be quarter-cast.

15. In a siege, quarters are the encampment on one of the principal passages round the place besieged, to prevent relief and intercept convoys.

16. In seminaries of learning, a fourth part of the year, or three months. Tuition and board at twenty five dollars the quarter This is a moderate quarter bill.

17. The quarter of a ship, is the part of a ship's side which lies towards the stern, or the part between the aftmost end of the main-chains and the sides of the stern, where it is terminated by the quarter-pieces.

18. In heraldry, one of the parts or members of the first division of a coat that is divided into four parts.

On the quarter in seamen's language, is a point in the horizon considerably abaft the beam, but not in the direction of the stern.

QUARTER-bill, among seamen, is a list containing the different stations where the officers and crew are to take post in time of action, and the names of the men assigned to each.

QUARTER-cloths, long pieces of painted canvas, extended on the outside of the quarter-netting from the upper part of the gallery to the gangway.

QUARTER-deck, that part of the deck of a ship which extends from the stern to the mainmast. But in some kinds of vessels, the quarter-deck does not extend to the mainmast, but is raised above the main deck.

QUARTER-gallery, a sort of balcony on the quarters of a ship.

QUARTER-railing, narrow molded planks, reaching from the top of the stern to the gangway, serving as a fence to the quarter-deck.

QUARTER-master, in an army, an officer whose business is to attend to the quarters for the soldiers, their provisions, fuel, forage, etc.; in the navy, an officer who assists the mates in their duties, in stowing the hold, coiling the cables, attending the steerage, and keeping time by the watch glasses.

QUARTER-master-general, in military affairs, is an officer whose duty is to mark the marches and encampments of an army, the head-quarters, the place for the artillery, and procure supplies of provisions and forage, etc.

1. Quarter-staff, a long staff borne by foresters and park-keepers, as a badge of office and a weapon.

2. A staff of defense.

QUARTER-sessions, in England, a general court held quarterly by the justices of peace of each county, with jurisdiction to try and determine felonies and trespasses; but capital offenses are seldom or never tried in this court.

QUARTER-round, in architecture, the echinus or ovolo.

Head-quarters, the tent or mansion of the commander in chief of an army.

QUART'ER, verb transitive

1. To divide into four equal parts.

2. To divide; to separate into parts.

3. To divide into distinct regions or compartments.

The sailors quarter'd heaven.

4. To station soldiers for lodging; as, to quarter troops in the city or among the inhabitants, or on the inhabitants.

5. To lodge; to fix on a temporary dwelling.

They mean this night in Sardis to be quarter'd.

6. To diet. [Not in use.]

7. To bear as an appendage to the hereditary arms.

The coat of Beauchamp - quartered by the earl of Hertford.

QUART'ER, verb intransitive To lodge; to have a temporary residence. The general quarters at a hotel in Church street.

Quarter-Day

QUARTER-DAY, noun The day that completes three months, the quarter of a year; the day when quarterly payments are made of rent or interest.

Quarterage

QUART'ERAGE, noun A quarterly allowance.

Quartered

QUART'ERED, participle passive Divided into four equal parts or quarters; separated into distinct parts; lodged; stationed for lodging.

Quartering

QUART'ERING, participle present tense Dividing into quarters or into distinct parts; stationing for lodgings.

QUART'ERING, noun

1. A station.

2. Assignment of quarters for soldiers.

3. The division of a shield containing many coats.

Quarterly

QUART'ERLY, adjective

1. Containing 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; a quarterly visitation or examination. The secretary requires quarterly returns from his officers.

QUART'ERLY, adverb Once in a quarter of a year. The returns are made quarterly

Quartern

QUART'ERN, noun The fourth part of a pint; a gill.

Quartile

QUART'ILE, noun An aspect of the planets, when they are distant from each other a quarter of the circle, ninety degrees, or three signs.

Quarto

QUART'O, noun [Latin quartus.] A book of the size of the fourth of a sheet; a size made by twice folding a sheet, which then makes four leaves.

QUART'O, adjective Denoting the size of a book in which a sheet makes four leaves.

Quartz

QUARTZ, noun quortz. A species of silicious minerals, of various colors, white, gray, reddish, yellowish or brownish; commonly amorphous, and frequently crystallized. The subspecies and varieties are numerous.

Quartzy

QUARTZ'Y, adjective Pertaining to quartz; partaking of the nature or qualities of quartz; resembling quartz. [Quartzy is the regular adjective, and quartzose and quartzous may be dispensed with.]

Quas

QUAS, noun In Russia, a drink of common domestic use; being a liquor prepared from pollard, meal and bread, or from meal and malt, by an acid fermentation.

Quash

QUASH, verb transitive [Latin quasso, quatio.]

1. Properly, to beat down or beat in pieces; to crush.

The whales against sharp rocks, like reeling vessels, quash'd.

2. To crush; to subdue; as, to quash a rebellion.

3. In law, to abate, annul, overthrow or make void; as, to quash an indictment. He pays judgment of the writ or declaration that the same may be quashed.

QUASH, verb intransitive To be shaken with a noise.

QUASH, noun A species of cucurbita; but in America pronounced squash; so called probably from it softness. [See the Verb.]

Quashed

QUASH'ED, participle passive Crushed; subdued; abated.

Quashing

QUASH'ING, participle present tense Crushing; subduing; abating.

Quassation

QUASSA'TION, noun [Latin quassatio.] The act of shaking; concussion; the state of being shaken.

Quassia

QUAS'SIA, noun A plant, or rather a genus of plants of three species, the amara, simaruba, and excelsa or polygama, natives of South America and of some of the isles of the West Indies, and possessing valuable medicinal qualities.

Quat

QUAT, noun A pustule or pimple. [Not used.]

Quater-Cousins

QUATER-COUSINS, noun ka'ter-cuzns. [Latin quatuor, four, and cousin.]

Those within the first four degrees of kindred.

Quatern

QUAT'ERN, adjective [Latin quaterni, four, from quatuor, four.]

Consisting of four; fourfold; growing by fours; as quatern leaves.

Quaternary

QUATERN'ARY, noun [Latin quaternarius, from quatuor, four.]

The number four.

QUATERN'ARY, adjective Consisting of four.

Quaternion

QUATERN'ION, noun [Latin quaternio, from quatuor, four.]

1. The number four.

2. A file of four soldiers. Acts 12:4.

QUATERN'ION, verb transitive To divide into files or companies.

Quaternity

QUATERN'ITY, noun [supra.] The number four.

Quatrain

QUAT'RAIN, noun [Latin quatror, four.]

A stanza of four lines rhyming alternately.

Quave

QUAVE, for quaver, is not used.

Quavemire

QUAVEMIRE, for quagmire, is not used.

Quaver

QUA'VER, verb intransitive

1. To shake the voice; to utter or form sound with rapid vibrations, as in singing; to sing with tremulous modulations of voice.

2. To tremble; to vibrate.

The finger - moved with a quavering motion.

QUA'VER, noun

1. A shake or rapid vibration of the voice, or a shake on an instrument of music.

2. A note and measure of time in music, equal to half a crotchet or the eighth of a semibreve.

Quavered

QUA'VERED, adjective or participle passive Distributed into quavers.

Quaverer

QUA'VERER, noun A warbler.

Quavering

QUA'VERING, participle present tense Shaking the voice or the sound of an instrument.

QUA'VERING, noun The act of shaking the voice, or of making rapid vibrations of sound on an instrument of music.