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- DictionaryQuar·ter/ˈkwôrdər/
noun
- 1. each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided: "she cut each apple into quarters"
- ▪ a period of three months regarded as one fourth of a year, used especially in reference to financial transactions such as the payment of bills or a company's earnings: "the payment for each quarter's electricity is made in the next quarter"
- ▪ a period of fifteen minutes or a point of time marking the transition from one fifteen-minute period to the next: "the baby was born at a quarter past nine"
- ▪ a coin representing 25 cents, one fourth of a US or Canadian dollar.
- ▪ each of the four parts into which an animal's or bird's carcass may be divided, each including a leg or wing.
- ▪ one fourth of a lunar month.
- ▪ (in various sports) each of four equal periods into which a game is divided: "there were four scores in the opening quarter"
- ▪ one of four terms into which a school or college year may be divided. US
- 2. one fourth of a pound (avoirdupois, equal to 4 ounces).
- ▪ one fourth of a hundredweight (US 25 lb or British 28 lb).
- ▪ a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels. British
- 3. the haunches or hindquarters of a horse: "they have strong, muscular quarters"
- 4. a part of a town or city having a specific character or use: "it is a beautiful port city with a fascinating medieval quarter" Similar districtarearegionpartsideneighborhoodprecinctlocalitysectorsectionzonetractbeltghettocommunitycolonypocketenclaveterritoryprovinceparishward
- 5. the direction of one of the points of the compass, especially as a direction from which the wind blows.
- ▪ a particular but unspecified person, group of people, or area: "we have just had help from an unexpected quarter" Similar sourcedirectionplacepointspotlocationperson
- ▪ either side of a ship aft of the beam: "he trained his glasses over the starboard quarter"
- 6. rooms or lodgings, especially those allocated to people in military or domestic service: "the servants' quarters" Similar accommodationlodgingsroomschambersplace of residencehomeshelterpied-à-terreinformal:digsinformal, dated:padbilletformal:abodedwellingdwelling placeresidencedomicilehabitation
- 7. pity or mercy shown toward an enemy or opponent who is in one's power: "the riot squad gave no quarter" Similar mercyleniencyclemencylenitycompassionpitycharityforbearanceindulgencekindnesssympathytolerance
- 8. each of four or more roughly equal divisions of a shield separated by vertical and horizontal lines.
- ▪ a square charge which covers the top left (dexter chief) quarter of the field.
verb
- 1. divide into four equal or corresponding parts: "peel and quarter the bananas"
- ▪ cut (the body of an executed person) into four parts: historical "the plotters were hanged, drawn, and quartered"
- ▪ cut (a log) into quarters, and these into planks so as to show the grain well.
- 2. be stationed or lodged in a specified place: "many were quartered in tents" Similar accommodatehouseboardlodgegive accommodation toprovide with accommodationput uptake ingive a bed toinstallgive a roof toput a roof over someone's headshelterinformal, dated:billet
- 3. range over or traverse (an area) in every direction: "we watched a pair of kingfishers quartering the river looking for minnows" Similar patrolrange overtourreconnoitertraversesurveyinspectspy outscoutinformal:recce
- ▪ move at an angle; go in a diagonal or zigzag direction: "his young dog quartered back and forth in quick turns"
- 4. display (different coats of arms) in quarters of a shield, especially to show arms inherited from heiresses who have married into the bearer's family: "Edward III quartered the French royal arms with his own"
- ▪ divide (a shield) into four or more parts by vertical and horizontal lines.
Word Origin Middle English: from Old French quartier, from Latin quartarius ‘fourth part of a measure’, from quartus ‘fourth’, from quattuor ‘four’.
Scrabble Points: 16
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