The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1253
Quin"que*nerved` (?) , a. [ Quinque- + nerve .] (Bot.) Having five nerves; -- said of a leaf with five nearly equal nerves or ribs rising from the end of the petiole.
Quinquennalia <Xpage=1179>
Quin`quen*na"li*a (?) , n. pl. [L., fr. quinquennalis . See Ouinquennial .] (Rom. Antiq.) Public games celebrated every five years.
Quinquennial <Xpage=1179>
Quin*quen"ni*al (?) , a. [L. quinquennalis and quinquennis ; quinque five + annus year. See Five , and cf . Biennial .] Occurring once in five years, or at the end of every five years; also, lasting five years. A quinquennial event.
Quinquennium <Xpage=1179>
Quin*quen"ni*um (?) , n. [L.] Space of five years.
Quinquepartite <Xpage=1179>
Quin*quep"ar*tite (?) , a. [L. quinquepartitus ; quinque five + partitus , p. p. of partire to divide: cf. F. quinqu\'82partite .]
1. Consisting of five parts.
2. (Bot.) Divided into five parts almost to the base.
Quinquereme <Xpage=1179>
Quin"que*reme (?) , n. [L. quinqueremis ; quinque five + remus an oar: cf. F. quinqu\'82r\'8ame ] A galley having five benches or banks of oars; as, an Athenian quinquereme .
Quinquesyllable <Xpage=1179>
Quin"que*syl`la*ble (?) , n. [ Quinque- + syllable .] A word of five syllables.
Quinquevalve, Quinquevalvular <Xpage=1179>
Quin"que*valve (?) , Quin`que*val"vu*lar (?) , a. [ Quinque- + valve , valvular : cf. F. quinqu\'82valve .] (Bot.) Having five valves, as a pericarp.
Quinquevir <Xpage=1179>
Quin"que*vir (?) , n. ; pl; E. Quinquevirs (#) , L. Quinqueviri (#) . [L., fr. quinque Five + vir man.] (Bot. Antiq.) One of five commissioners appointed for some special object.
Quinquina <Xpage=1179>
Quin*qui"na (?) , n. [NL. & F. See Quinine .] Peruvian bark.
Quinquivalent <Xpage=1179>
Quin*quiv"a*lent (?) , a. [ Quinque- + L. valens , -entis , p. pr. See Valence .] (Chem.) Same as Pentavalent .
Quinsy <Xpage=1179>
Quin"sy (?) , n. [Contr. fr. squinancy , F. esquinancie , L. cynanche a sort of sore throat, Gr. <?/ sore throat, dog quinsy, fr. <?/ dog + <?/ to choke; cf. also L. synanche sore throat, Gr. <?/. Cf. Hound , Anger , and Cynanche .] (Med.) An inflammation of the throat, or parts adjacent, especially of the fauces or tonsils, attended by considerable swelling, painful and impeded deglutition, and accompanied by inflammatory fever. It sometimes creates danger of suffocation; -- called also squinancy , and squinzey .
Quint <Xpage=1179>
Quint (?) , n. [F. quinte , fr. L. quintus , quinta , the fifth, quinque five. See Five .] 1. A set or sequence of five, as in piquet.
2. (Mus.) The interval of a fifth.
Quintain <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tain (?) , n. [F. quintaine , LL. quintana ; cf. W. chwintan a kind of hymeneal game.] An object to be tilted at; -- called also quintel . [Written also quintin .]
&hand; A common form in the Middle Ages was an upright post, on the top of which turned a crosspiece, having on one end a broad board, and on the other a sand bag. The endeavor was to strike the board with the lance while riding under, and get away without being hit by the sand bag. "But a quintain , a mere lifeless block."
Shak.
Quintal <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tal (?) , n. [F., fr. Sp. quintal , fr. Ar. qintar a weight of 100 lbs., prob. fr. L. centenarius consisting of a hundred, fr. centeni a hundred each, fr. centum a hundred. See Hundred , and cf. Kentle .] 1. A hundredweight, either 112 or 100 pounds, according to the scale used. Cf. Cental . [Sometimes written and pronounced kentle .]
2. A metric measure of weight, being 100,000 grams, or 100 kilograms, equal to 220.46 pounds avoirdupois.
Quintan <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tan (?) , a. [L. quintanus , fr. quintus fifth, quinque five. See Five .] Occurring as the fifth, after four others also, occurring every fifth day, reckoning inclusively; as, a quintan fever . -- n. (Med.) An intermittent fever which returns every fifth day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts three days.
Quintel <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tel (?) , n. See Quintain .
Quintessence <Xpage=1179>
Quin*tes"sence (?) , n. [F., fr. L. quinta essentia fifth essence. See Quint , and Essence .] 1. The fifth or last and highest essence or power in a natural body. See Ferment oils , under Ferment . [Obs.]
&hand; The ancient Greeks recognized four elements, fire, air, water, and earth. The Pythagoreans added a fifth and called it nether, the fifth essence, which they said flew upward at creation and out of it the stars were made. The alchemists sometimes considered alcohol, or the ferment oils, as the fifth essence.
2. Hence: An extract from anything, containing its rarest virtue, or most subtle and essential constituent in a small quantity; pure or concentrated essence.
Let there be light, said God; and forthwith light Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure, Sprung from the deep. Milton.
Quintessence <Xpage=1179>
Quin*tes"sence , v. t. To distil or extract as a quintessence; to reduce to a quintessence. [R.] Stirling . "Truth quintessenced and raised to the highest power."
J. A. Symonds.
Quintessential <Xpage=1179>
Quin`tes*sen"tial (?) , a. Of the nature of a quintessence; purest. " Quintessential extract of mediocrity."
G. Eliot.
Quintet, Quintette <Xpage=1179>
Quin*tet" , Quin*tette" (?) , n. [It. quintetto , dim. of quinto the fifth, a fifth part, from L. quintus the fifth: cf. F. quintette . See Quint .] (Mus.) A composition for five voices or instruments; also, the set of five persons who sing or play five-part music.
Quintic <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tic (?) , a. [L. quintus fifth, fr. quinque five.] (Alg.) Of the fifth degree or order. -- n. (Alg.) A quantic of the fifth degree. See Quantic .
Quintile <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tile (?) , n. [F. quintil aspect , fr. L. quintus the fifth.] (Astron.) The aspect of planets when separated the fifth part of the zodiac, or 72°. <-- sic. not separated "by" -->
Hutton.
Quintilllion <Xpage=1179>
Quin*till"lion (?) , n. [Formed fr. L. quintus the fifth, after the analogy of million : cf. F. quintillion . See Quint .] According to the French notation, which is used on the Continent and in America, the cube of a million, or a unit with eighteen ciphers annexed; according to the English notation, a number produced by involving a million to the fifth power, or a unit with thirty ciphers annexed. See the Note under Numeration .
Quintin <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tin (?) , n. See Quintain .
Quintine <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tine (?) , n. [L. quintus the fifth: cf. F. quintine .] (Bot.) The embryonic sac of an ovule, sometimes regarded as an innermost fifth integument. Cf. Quartine , and Tercine .
Quintole <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tole (?) , n. [It. quinto fifth.] (Mus.) A group of five notes to be played or sung in the time of four of the same species.
Quintuple <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tu*ple (?) , a. [L. quintus fifth: cf. F. quintuple , L. quintuplex . Cf. Quadruple .] Multiplied by five; increased to five times the amount; fivefold.
Quintuple time (Mus.) , a time having five beats in a measure. It is seldom used.
Quintuple <Xpage=1179>
Quin"tu*ple , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Quintupled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Quintupling .] [Cf. F. quintupler .] To make fivefold, or five times as much or many.
Quittuple-nerved, Quintuple-ribbed <Xpage=1179>
Quit"tu*ple-nerved` (?) , Quin"tu*ple-ribbed` (?) , a. (Bot.) The same as Quinquenerved .
Quinzaine <Xpage=1179>
Quin"zaine (?) , n. [F., from quinze fifteen, L. quindecim . See Fifteen .] The fifteenth day after a feast day, including both in the reckoning. [Written also quinzain .]
Quinze <Xpage=1179>
Quinze (?) , n. [F.] A game at cards in which the object is to make fifteen points.
Quip <Xpage=1179>
Quip (?) , n. [Cf. W. chwip a quick flirt or turn, chwipio to whip, to move briskly, and E. whip . Cf. Quib , Quibble .] A smart, sarcastic turn or jest; a taunt; a severe retort; a gibe.
Quips , and cranks, and wanton wiles. Milton.
He was full of joke and jest, But all his merry quips are o'er. Tennyson.
Quip <Xpage=1179>
Quip , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Quipped (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Quipping (?) .] To taunt; to treat with quips.
The more he laughs, and does her closely quip . Spenser.
Quip <Xpage=1179>
Quip , v. i. To scoff; to use taunts.
Sir H. Sidney.
Quipo <Xpage=1179>
Qui"po (?) , n. Same as Quipu .
Quipu <Xpage=1179>
Qui"pu (?) , n. ; pl. Quipus (#) . [Peruv. quipu a knot.] A contrivance employed by the ancient Peruvians, Mexicans, etc., as a substitute for writing and figures, consisting of a main cord, from which hung at certain distances smaller cords of various colors, each having a special meaning, as silver, gold, corn, soldiers. etc. Single, double, and triple knots were tied in the smaller cords, representing definite numbers. It was chiefly used for arithmetical purposes, and to register important facts and events. [Written also quipo .] Tylor .
The mysterious science of the quipus . . . supplied the Peruvians with the means of communicating their ideas to one another, and of transmitting them to future generations. Prescott.
Quirboilly <Xpage=1179>
Quir"boil*ly` (?) , n. [OE. cuir bouilli .] Leather softened by boiling so as to take any required shape. Upon drying, it becomes exceedingly hard, and hence was formerly used for armor. [Obs.] "His jambeux were of quyrboilly ."
Chaucer.
Quire <Xpage=1179>
Quire (?) , n. See Choir . [Obs.]
Spenser.
A quire of such enticing birds. Shak.
Quire <Xpage=1179>
Quire , v. i. To sing in concert. [R.]
Shak.
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Quire <Xpage=1180>
Quire (?) , n. [OE. quaer , quair , OF. quayer , cayer , ca\'8ber , F. cahier , a book of loose sheets, a quarter of a quire, LL. quaternus , quaternum , sheets of paper packed together, properly, four together, fr. L. quaterni four each, by fours, quattuor , four. See Four and cf. Cahier .] A collection of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold; one twentieth of a ream.
Quirister <Xpage=1180>
Quir"is*ter (?) , n. [See Quire , Chorister .] A chorister. See Chorister . [R.]
Thomson.
Quiritation <Xpage=1180>
Quir`i*ta"tion (?) , n. [L. quiritatio , fr. quiritare to raise a plaintive cry, v. freq. fr. queri to complain.] A crying for help. [Obs.]
Bp. Hall.
Quirite <Xpage=1180>
Qui"rite (?) , n. One of the Quirites.
Quirites <Xpage=1180>
Qui*ri"tes (?) , n. pl. [L., fr. Cures , a Sabine town.] (Rom. Antiq.) Roman citizens.
&hand; After the Sabines and Romans had united themselves into one community, under Romulus, the name of Quirites was taken in addition to that of Romani , the Romans calling themselves in a civil capacity Quirites , while in a political and military capacity they retained the name of Romani .
Andrews.
Quirk <Xpage=1180>
Quirk (?) , n. [Written also querk .] [Cf W. chwiori to turn briskly, or E. queer .] 1. A sudden turn; a starting from the point or line; hence, an artful evasion or subterfuge; a shift; a quibble; as, the quirks of a pettifogger . "Some quirk or . . . evasion."
Spenser.
We ground the justification of our nonconformity on dark subtilties and intricate quirks . Barrow.
2. A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice. [Obs.] " Quirks of joy and grief."
Shak.
3. A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.
Some odd quirks and remnants of wit. Shak.
4. An irregular air; as, light quirks of music .
Pope.
5. (Building) A piece of ground taken out of any regular ground plot or floor, so as to make a court, yard, etc.; -- sometimes written quink .
Gwilt.
6. (Arch.) A small channel, deeply recessed in proportion to its width, used to insulate and give relief to a convex rounded molding.
Quirk molding , a bead between two quirks.
Quirked <Xpage=1180>
Quirked (?) , a. Having, or formed with, a quirk or quirks.
Quirkish <Xpage=1180>
Quirk"ish (?) , Consisting of quirks; resembling a quirk.
Barrow.
Quirky <Xpage=1180>
Quirk"y (?) , a. Full of quirks; tricky; as, a quirky lawyer .
Quirl <Xpage=1180>
Quirl (?) , n. & v. See Querl .
Quirpele <Xpage=1180>
Quir"pele (?) , n. [Tamil k\'c6rippillai .] (Zo\'94l.) The Indian ferret.
Quirt <Xpage=1180>
Quirt (?) , n. A rawhide whip plaited with two thongs of buffalo hide
T. Roosevelt.
Quish <Xpage=1180>
Quish (?) , n. See Cuish .
Quit <Xpage=1180>
Quit (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit , under Banana , and Guitguit .
Quit <Xpage=1180>
Quit (?) , a. [OE. quite , OF. quite , F. quitte . See Quit , v. , Quirt .] Released from obligation, charge, penalty, etc.; free; clear; absolved; acquitted.
Chaucer.
The owner of the ox shall be quit . Ex. xxi. 28.
&hand; This word is sometimes used in the form quits , colloquially; as, to be quits with one, that is, to have made mutual satisfaction of demands with him; to be even with him; hence, as an exclamation: Quits ! we are even, or on equal terms. "To cry quits with the commons in their complaints."
Fuller.
Quit <Xpage=1180>
Quit , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Quit or Quitted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Quitting .] [OE. quiten , OF. quiter , quitier , cuitier , F. quitter , to acquit, quit, LL. quietare , fr. L. quietare to calm, to quiet, fr. quietus quiet. See Quiet , a. , and cf. Quit , a. , Quite , Acquit , Requite .] 1. To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate. [R.]
To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it? Wake.
2. To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, or the like; to absolve; to acquit.
There may no gold them quyte . Chaucer.
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt. Milton.
3. To discharge, as an obligation or duty; to meet and satisfy, as a claim or debt; to make payment for or of; to requite; to repay.
The blissful martyr quyte you your meed. Chaucer.
Enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act . Shak.
Before that judge that quits each soul his hire. Fairfax.
4. To meet the claims upon, or expectations entertained of; to conduct; to acquit; -- used reflexively.
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. I Sam. iv. 9.
Samson hath guit himself Like Samson. Milton.
5. To carry through; to go through to the end. [Obs.]
Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown. Daniel.
6. To have done with; to cease from; to stop; hence, to depart from; to leave; to forsake; as, to quit work; to quit the place; to quit jesting.
Such a superficial way of examining is to quit truth for appearance. Locke.
To quit cost , to pay; to reimburse. -- To quit scores , to make even; to clear mutually from demands.
Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it? South.
Syn. -- To leave; relinquish; resign; abandon; forsake; surrender; discharge; requite. -- Quit , Leave . Leave is a general term, signifying merely an act of departure; quit implies a going without intention of return, a final and absolute abandonment.
Quit <Xpage=1180>
Quit , v. i. To away; to depart; to stop doing a thing; to cease.
Quitch <Xpage=1180>
Quitch (?) , n. 1. (Bot.) Same as Quitch grass .
2. Figuratively: A vice; a taint; an evil.
To pick the vicious quitch Of blood and custom wholly out of him. Tennyson .
Quitch grass <Xpage=1180>
Quitch" grass` (?) . [Properly quick grass , being probably so called from its vigorous growth, or from its tenacity of life. See Quick , and cf. Couch grass .] (Bot.) A perennial grass ( Agropyrum repens ) having long running rootstalks, by which it spreads rapidly and pertinaciously, and so becomes a troublesome weed. Also called couch grass , quick grass , quick grass , twitch grass . See Illustration in Appendix.
Quitclaim <Xpage=1180>
Quit"claim` (?) , n. [ Quit , a. + claim .] (Law) A release or relinquishment of a claim; a deed of release; an instrument by which some right, title, interest, or claim, which one person has, or is supposed to have, in or to an estate held by himself or another, is released or relinquished, the grantor generally covenanting only against persons who claim under himself.
Quitclaim <Xpage=1180>