Chapter 93

Py*rog"ra*phy (?), n. [Pyro- + -graphy.] A process of printing, ornamenting, or carving, by burning with heated instruments.

Py*rol"a*tor (?), n. [See Pyrolatry.] A fire worshiper. [R.] Southey.

Py*rol"a*try (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; worship: cf. F. pyrol‚trie.] The worship of fire. Young.

{ Pyr`o*lig"ne*ous (?), Pyr`o*lig"nic (?), } a. [Pyro-+ L. lignum wood: cf. F. pyroligneux.] (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, the acid liquid obtained in the distillation of wood, consisting essentially of impure acetic acid.

Pyr`o*lig"nous (?), a. Same as Pyroligneous.

Pyr`o*lith"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + lithic.] (Old Chem.) Same as Pyrouric, or Cyanuric.

Py*rol"o*gist (?), n. One who is versed in, or makes a study of, pyrology.

Py*rol"o*gy (?), n. [Pyro- + - logy: cf. F. pyrologie.] That branch of physical science which treats of the properties, phenomena, or effects of heat; also, a treatise on heat.

Pyr`o*lu"site (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; to loose, or &?; a loosing.] (Min.) Manganese dioxide, a mineral of an iron-black or dark steel-gray color and metallic luster, usually soft. Pyrolusite parts with its oxygen at a red heat, and is extensively used in discharging the brown and green tints of glass (whence its name).

Pyr`o*mag*net"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + magnetic.] (Physics) Acting by the agency of heat and magnetism; as, a pyromagnetic machine for producing electric currents.

Pyr`o*ma"late (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of pyromalic acid. [Obs.]

Pyr`o*ma"lic (?), a. [Pyro- + malic.] (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid now called maleic acid.

Pyr"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. &?;; &?; fire + &?; divination: cf. F. pyromancie.] Divination by means of fire.

Pyr"o*ma"ni*a (?), n. [Pyro- + mania.] An insane disposition to incendiarism.

Pyr"o*man"tic (?), a. Of or pertaining to pyromancy.

Pyr`o*man"tic, n. [Cf. Gr. &?;.] One who pretends to divine by fire. Sir T. Herbert.

Py*rom"e*ter (?), n. [Pyro- + -meter: cf. F. pyromËtre.] 1. (Physics) An instrument used for measuring the expansion of solid bodies by heat.

2. (Physics) An instrument for measuring degrees of heat above those indicated by the mercurial thermometer.

It is usually constructed so as to register the change which the heat to be measured produces in the length of some expansible substance, as a metallic rod, or in the intensity of a thermo-electric current.

{ Pyr`o*met"ric (?), Pyr`o*met"ric*al } a. [Cf. F. pyromÈtrique.] (Physics) Pertaining to, or obtained by, the pyrometer; as, pyrometrical instruments; pyrometrical measurements.

Py*rom"e*try (?), n. The art of measuring degrees of heat, or the expansion of bodies by heat.

Pyr`o*mor"phite (?), n. [G. pyromorphit, from Gr. &?; fire + &?; form.] (Min.) Native lead phosphate with lead chloride, occurring in bright green and brown hexagonal crystals and also massive; -- so called because a fused globule crystallizes in cooling.

Pyr`o*mor"phous (?), a. [Pyro- + -morphous.] (Min.) Having the property of crystallizing by the agency of fire.

Pyr`o*mu"cate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of pyromucic acid.

Pyr`o*mu"cic (?), a. [Pyro- + mucic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid obtained as a white crystalline substance by the distillation of mucic acid, or by the oxidation of furfurol.

Pyr`o*nom"ics (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; law.] The science of heat.

Pyr"ope (?), n. [L. pyropus a kind of red bronze, fr. Gr. &?;; &?; fire + &?; the eye, face: cf. F. pyrope.] (Min.) A variety of garnet, of a poppy or blood-red color, frequently with a tinge of orange. It is used as a gem. See the Note under Garnet.

Pyr"o*phane (?), n. [See Pyrophanous.] (Min.) A mineral which is opaque in its natural state, but is said to change its color and become transparent by heat.

Py*roph"a*nous (?), a. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; to show, pass, to shine.] Rendered transparent by heat.

Pyr"o*phone (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; sound.] A musical instrument in which the tones are produced by flames of hydrogen, or illuminating gas, burning in tubes of different sizes and lengths.

{ Pyr`o*phor"ic (?), Py*roph"o*rous (?), } a. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; to bear.] Light- producing; of or pertaining to pyrophorus.

Pyrophoric iron (Chem.), finely reduced iron, which ignites spontaneously on contact with air.

||Py*roph"o*rus (?), n. [NL. See Pyrophorous.] (Old Chem.) Any one of ||several substances or mixtures which phosphoresce or ignite ||spontaneously on exposure to air, as a heated mixture of alum, ||potash, and charcoal, or a mixture of charcoal and finely divided ||lead.

Pyr"o*phos"phate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of pyrophosphoric acid.

Pyr`o*phos*phor"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + phosphoric.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid, H4P2O7, which is obtained as a white crystalline substance. Its salts are obtained by heating the phosphates.

Py*roph"yl*lite (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; leaf.] (Min.) A mineral, usually of a white or greenish color and pearly luster, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of alumina.

Pyr"o*scope (?), n. [Pyro- + - scope: cf. F. pyroscope.] (Physics) An instrument for measuring the intensity of heat radiating from a fire, or the cooling influence of bodies. It is a differential thermometer, having one bulb coated with gold or silver leaf. [R.]

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||Py*ro"sis (?), n. [NL., fr Gr. &?; a burning, an inflammation, fr. ||&?; to burn, fr. &?; fire.] (Med.) See Water brash, under Brash.

Py*ros"ma*lite (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; odor + -like. ] (Min.) A mineral, usually of a pale brown or of a gray or grayish green color, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of iron and manganese; -- so called from the odor given off before the blowpipe.

Pyr"o*some (?), n. [Pyro- + - some body.] (Zoˆl.) Any compound ascidian of the genus Pyrosoma. The pyrosomes form large hollow cylinders, sometimes two or three feet long, which swim at the surface of the sea and are very phosphorescent.

Pyr`o*sul"phate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of pyrosulphuric acid.

Pyr`o*sul*phu"ric (?), a. [Pyro- + -sulphuric.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid called also disulphuric acid) obtained by distillation of certain sulphates, as a colorless, thick, oily liquid, H2S2O7 resembling sulphuric acid. It is used in the solution of indigo, in the manufacture of alizarin, and in dehydration.

Pyr`o*tar*tar"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + tartaric.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained as a white crystalline substance by the distillation of tartaric acid.

Pyr`o*tar"trate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of pyrotartaric acid.

Pyr`o*tech"ni*an (?), n. A pyrotechnist.

{ Pyr`o*tech"nic (?), Pyr`o*tech"nic*al (?), } a. [Pyro- + technic, technical: cf. F. pyrotechnique. See Fire, Technical.] Of or pertaining to fireworks, or the art of forming them.

Pyrotechnical sponge. See under Sponge.

Pyr`o*tech*ni"cian (?), n. A pyrotechnist.

Pyr`o*tech"nics (?), n. The art of making fireworks; the manufacture and use of fireworks; pyrotechny.

Pyr`o*tech"nist (?), n. One skilled in pyrotechny; one who manufactures fireworks. Steevens.

Pyr`o*tech`ny (?), n. [Cf. F. pyrotechnie.] 1. The use and application of fire in science and the arts. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

2. Same as Pyrotechnics.

Py*roth"o*nide (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; linen.] (Med.) A kind of empyreumatic oil produced by the combustion of textures of hemp, linen, or cotton in a copper vessel, -- formerly used as a remedial agent. Dunglison.

Py*rot"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to burn, fr. &?;, &?;, fire: cf. F. pyrotique.] Caustic. See Caustic. -- n. (Med.) A caustic medicine.

Pyr`o*tri`tar*tar"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + tri- + tartaric.] (Chem.) Designating an acid which is more commonly called uric acid.

Pyr`o*tung"stic (?), a. (Chem.) Polytungstic. See Metatungstic.

Pyr`o*¸"ric (?), a. [Pyro- + uric.] (Old Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid now called cyanuric acid. See Cyanuric.

Pyr`o*va*nad"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + vanadic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of vanadium, analogous to pyrophosphoric acid.

Pyr`o*xan"thin (?), n. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; yellow.] (Chem.) A yellow crystalline hydrocardon extracted from crude wood spirit; -- called also eblanin.

Pyr"ox*ene (?), n. [F. pyroxËne, from Gr. &?; fire + &?; a stranger; -- so called because it was supposed to the be a stranger, or of rare occurrence, in igneous rocks,] (Min.) A common mineral occurring in monoclinic crystals, with a prismatic angle of nearly 90∞, and also in massive forms which are often laminated. It varies in color from white to dark green and black, and includes many varieties differing in color and composition, as diopside, malacolite, salite, coccolite, augite, etc. They are all silicates of lime and magnesia with sometimes alumina and iron. Pyroxene is an essential constituent of many rocks, especially basic igneous rocks, as basalt, gabbro, etc.

The pyroxene group contains pyroxene proper, also the related orthorhombic species, enstatite, bronzite, hypersthene, and various monoclinic and triclinic species, as rhodonite, etc.

Pyr`ox*en"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. pyroxÈnique.] Containing pyroxene; composed chiefly of pyroxene.

Py*rox"e*nite (?), n. (Min.) A rock consisting essentially of pyroxene.

Py*rox"yle (?), n. [Cf. F. pyroxyle. See Pyroxylic, -yl.]

Pyr`ox*yl"ic (?), a. [Pyro- + Gr. &?; wood.] (Old Chem.) Derived from wood by distillation; -- formerly used in designating crude wood spirit.

Py*rox"y*lin (?), n. (Chem.) A substance resembling gun cotton in composition and properties, but distinct in that it is more highly nitrified and is soluble in alcohol, ether, etc.; -- called also pyroxyle.

Pyr"rhic (?), a. [L. pyrrhichius, Gr. &?; belonging to the &?; (sc. &?;) a kind of war dance.] 1. Of or pertaining to an ancient Greek martial dance. " ye have the pyrrhic dance as yet." Byron.

2. (Pros.) Of or pertaining to a pyrrhic, or to pyrrhics; containing pyrrhic; as, a pyrrhic verse.

Pyr"rhic, n. 1. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. pyrrhique, fem.] An ancient Greek martial dance, to the accompaniment of the flute, its time being very quick.

2. [L. pyrrhichius (sc. pes), Gr. &?; (sc. &?;): cf. F. pyrrhique, masc.] (Pros.) A foot consisting of two short syllables.

Pyr"rhi*cist (?), n. (Gr. Antiq.) One two danced the pyrrhic.

{ Pyr*rho"ne*an (?), Pyr*rhon"ic (?), } a. [L. PyrrhonÍus: cf. F. pyrrhonien.] Of or pertaining to pyrrhonism.

Pyr"rho*nism (?), n. [From Pyrrho, the founder of a school of skeptics in Greece (about 300 b. c.): cf. F. pyrrhonisme.] Skepticism; universal doubt.

Pyr"rho*nist (?), n. A follower of Pyrrho; a skeptic.

{ Pyr"rho*tine (?), Pyr"rho*tite (?), } n. [Gr. &?; flame-colored, fr. &?; fire.] (Min.) A bronze-colored mineral, of metallic luster. It is a sulphide of iron, and is remarkable for being attracted by the magnet. Called also magnetic pyrites.

Pyr"rol (?), n. [Gr. &?; flame-colored (from &?; fire) + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) A nitrogenous base found in coal tar, bone oil, and other distillates of organic substances, and also produced synthetically as a colorless liquid, C4H5N, having on odor like that of chloroform. It is the nucleus and origin of a large number of derivatives. So called because it colors a splinter of wood moistened with hydrochloric acid a deep red.

Pyr"ro*line (?), n. (Chem.) A nitrogenous base, C4H7N, obtained as a colorless liquid by the reduction of pyrrol.

||Pyr"u*la (?), n. [NL., fr. L. pyrus a pear.] (Zoˆl.) A genus of large ||marine gastropods. having a pear-shaped shell. It includes the ||fig-shells. See Illust. in Appendix.

Py*ru"ric (?), a. Same as Pyro¸ric.

||Py"rus (?), n. [L. pyrus, or better pirus, pear tree.] (Bot.) A genus ||of rosaceous trees and shrubs having pomes for fruit. It includes the ||apple, crab apple, pear, chokeberry, sorb, and mountain ash.

Py*ru"vic (?), a. [Pyro- + L. uva a grape.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid (called also pyroracemic acid) obtained, as a liquid having a pungent odor, by the distillation of racemic acid.

Py*ru"vil (?), n. (Chem.) A complex nitrogenous compound obtained by heating together pyruvic acid and urea.

Pyth`a*go"re*an (?), a. [L. Pythagoreus, Gr. &?;.] Of or pertaining to Pythagoras (a Greek philosopher, born about 582 b. c.), or his philosophy.

The central thought of the Pythagorean philosophy is the idea of number, the recognition of the numerical and mathematical relations of things.

Encyc. Brit.

Pythagorean proposition (Geom.), the theorem that the square described upon the hypothenuse of a plane right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares described upon the other two sides. -- Pythagorean system (Astron.), the commonly received system of astronomy, first taught by Pythagoras, and afterward revived by Copernicus, whence it is also called the Copernican system. -- Pythagorean letter. See Y.

Pyth`a*go"re*an (?), n. A follower of Pythagoras; one of the school of philosophers founded by Pythagoras.

Pyth`a*go"re*an*ism (?), n. The doctrines of Pythagoras or the Pythagoreans.

As a philosophic school Pythagoreanism became extinct in Greece about the middle of the 4th century [B. C.].

Encyc. Brit.

{ Pyth`a*gor"ic (?), Pyth`a*gor"ic*al (?), } a.[L. Pythagoricus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. pythagorique.] See Pythagorean, a.

Py*thag"o*rism (?), n. [Gr. &?;.] The doctrines taught by Pythagoras.

Pythagoras made numbers the basis of his philosophical system, as well physical as metaphysical. The doctrine of the transmigration of souls (metempsychosis) is associated closely with name of Pythagoras.

Py*thag"o*rize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pythagorized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pythagorizing (?).] [Gr. &?;.] To speculate after the manner of Pythagoras.

Pyth"i*ad (?), n. [See Pythian.] (Gr. Antiq.) The period intervening between one celebration of the Pythian games and the next.

Pyth"i*an (?), a. [L. Pythius, Gr. &?; belonging to Pytho, the older name of Delphi and its environs: cf. F. pythien.] Of or pertaining to Delphi, to the temple of Apollo, or to the priestess of Apollo, who delivered oracles at Delphi.

Pythian games (Gr. Antiq.), one of the four great national festivals of ancient Greece, celebrated near Delphi, in honor of Apollo, the conqueror of the dragon Python, at first once in eight years, afterward once in four.

Pyth`o*cen"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; to rot + &?; origin.] Producing decomposition, as diseases which are supposed to be accompanied or caused by decomposition.

Py"thon (?), n. [NL., fr. L. Python the serpent slain near Delphi by Apollo, Gr. &?;.] 1. (Zoˆl.) Any species of very large snakes of the genus Python, and allied genera, of the family PythonidÊ. They are nearly allied to the boas. Called also rock snake.

The pythons have small pelvic bones, or anal spurs, two rows of subcaudal scales, and pitted labials. They are found in Africa, Asia, and the East Indies.

2. A diviner by spirits. "[Manasses] observed omens, and appointed pythons." 4 Kings xxi. 6 (Douay version).

Pyth"o*ness (?), n. [L. pythonissa: cf. F. pythonisse. See Pythian.] 1. (Gr. Antiq.) The priestess who gave oracular answers at Delphi in Greece.

2. Any woman supposed to have a spirit of divination; a sort of witch. Bp. Hall.

Py*thon"ic (?), a. [L. pythonicus, Gr. &?;. See Pythian.] Prophetic; oracular; pretending to foretell events.

Pyth"o*nism (?), n. The art of predicting events after the manner of the priestess of Apollo at Delphi; equivocal prophesying.

Pyth"o*nist (?), n. A conjurer; a diviner.

||Pyth`o*no*mor"pha (?), n. pl. [NL. See Python, and -morphous.] ||(Paleon.) Same as Mosasauria.

||Py*u"ri*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; pus + &?; urine.] (Med.) A morbid ||condition in which pus is discharged in the urine.

Pyx (?), n. [L. pyxis a box, Gr. pyxi`s a box, especially of boxwood, fr. py`xos the box tree or boxwood. See Box a receptacle.] [Written also pix.] 1. (R. C. Ch.) The box, case, vase, or tabernacle, in which the host is reserved.

2. A box used in the British mint as a place of deposit for certain sample coins taken for a trial of the weight and fineness of metal before it is sent from the mint. Mushet.

3. (Naut.) The box in which the compass is suspended; the binnacle. Weale.

4. (Anat.) Same as Pyxis.

Pyx cloth (R. C. Ch.), a veil of silk or lace covering the pyx. -- Trial of the pyx, the annual testing, in the English mint, of the standard of gold and silver coins. Encyc. Brit.

Pyx, v. t. To test as to weight and fineness, as the coins deposited in the pyx. [Eng.] Mushet.

Pyx"i*date (?), a. Having a pyxidium.

||Pyx*id"i*um (?), n.; pl. Pyxidia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, dim. a &?; a ||box. See Pyx.] (Bot.) (a) A pod which divides circularly into an ||upper and lower half, of which the former acts as a kind of lid, as ||in the pimpernel and purslane. (b) The theca of mosses.

Pyx"ie (pks"), n. (Bot.) Same as Pixy.

||Pyx*is (?), n. [L.] 1. A box; a pyx.

2. (Bot.) A pyxidium.

3. (Anat.) The acetabulum. See Acetabulum, 2.

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Q.

Q (k), the seventeenth letter of the English alphabet, has but one sound (that of k), and is always followed by u, the two letters together being sounded like kw, except in some words in which the u is silent. See Guide to Pronunciation, ß 249. Q is not found in Anglo-Saxon, cw being used instead of qu; as in cwic, quick; cwen, queen. The name (k) is from the French ku, which is from the Latin name of the same letter; its form is from the Latin, which derived it, through a Greek alphabet, from the Phúnician, the ultimate origin being Egyptian.

Etymologically, q or qu is most nearly related to a (ch, tch), p, q, and wh; as in cud, quid, L. equus, ecus, horse, Gr. &?;, whence E. equine, hippic; L. quod which, E. what; L. aquila, E. eaqle; E. kitchen, OE. kichene, AS. cycene, L. coquina.

Qua (?), conj. [L., abl. of qui who.] In so far as; in the capacity or character of; as.

It is with Shelley's biographers qua biographers that we have to deal.

London Spectator.

Quab (?), n. [Cf. D. kwab eelpout, Dan. quabbe, G. quabbe, quappe, LG. quabbe a fat lump of flesh, and L. capito a kind of fish with a large head, fr. caput the head, also E. squab.] An unfledged bird; hence, something immature or unfinished. Ford.

Quab, v. i. See Quob, v. i.

Qua"-bird` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The American night heron. See under Night.

Qua"cha (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The quagga.

Quack (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Qvacked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Quacking.] [Of imitative origin; cf. D. kwaken, G. quacken, quaken, Icel. kvaka to twitter.]

1. To utter a sound like the cry of a duck.

2. To make vain and loud pretensions; to boast. " To quack of universal cures." Hudibras.

3. To act the part of a quack, or pretender.

Quack, n. 1. The cry of the duck, or a sound in imitation of it; a hoarse, quacking noise. Chaucer.

2. [Cf. Quacksalver.] A boastful pretender to medical skill; an empiric; an ignorant practitioner.

3. Hence, one who boastfully pretends to skill or knowledge of any kind not possessed; a charlatan.

Quacks political; quacks scientific, academical.

Carlyle.

Quack, a. Pertaining to or characterized by, boasting and pretension; used by quacks; pretending to cure diseases; as, a quack medicine; a quack doctor.

Quack"er*y (?), n.; pl. Quackeries (&?;). The acts, arts, or boastful pretensions of a quack; false pretensions to any art; empiricism. Carlyle.

Quack" grass` (?). (Bot.) See Quitch grass.

Quack"ish, a. Like a quack; boasting; characterized by quackery. Burke.

Quack"ism (?), n. Quackery. Carlyle.

Quac"kle (?), v. i. & t. [imp. & p. p. Quackled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Quackling (?).] [Cf.Querken.] To suffocate; to choke. [Prov. Eng.]

Quack"sal*ver (?), n. [D. kwakzalver; cf. kwakzalven to quack or boast of one's salves. See Quack, Salve, n.] One who boasts of his skill in medicines and salves, or of the efficacy of his prescriptions; a charlatan; a quack; a mountebank. [Obs.] Burton.

{ Quad (?), Quade (?) }, a. [Akin to AS. cwd, cwead, dung, evil, G. kot, dung, OHG. qut.] Evil; bad; baffling; as, a quade wind. [Obs.]

Sooth play, quad play, as the Fleming saith.

Chaucer.

Quad, n. (Print.) A quadrat.

Quad, n. (Arch.) A quadrangle; hence, a prison. [Cant or Slang]

||Quad"ra (?), n.; pl. QuadrÊ (#). [L., a square, the socle, a ||platband, a fillet.] (Arch.) (a) The plinth, or lowest member, of any ||pedestal, podium, water table, or the like. (b) A fillet, or listel.

Quad"ra*ble (?), a.[See Quadrate.] (Math.) That may be sqyared, or reduced to an equivalent square; -- said of a surface when the area limited by a curve can be exactly found, and expressed in a finite number of algebraic terms.

Quad`ra*ge*na"ri*ous (?), a. [L. quadragenarius, fr. qyadrageni forty each.] Consisting of forty; forty years old.

Quad"ra*gene (?), n. [LL. quadragena, fr. L. quadrageni forty each, akin to quadraginta forty.] (R. C. Ch.) An indulgence of forty days, corresponding to the forty days of ancient canonical penance.

||Quad`ra*ges"i*ma (?), n. [L., fr. quadragesimus the fortieth, fr. ||quadraginta forty; akin to quattuor four. See Four.] (Eccl.) The ||forty days of fast preceding Easter; Lent.

Quadragesima Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, about forty days before Easter.

Quad`ra*ges"i*mal (?), a. [Cf. F. quadragÈsimal.] Belonging to Lent; used in Lent; Lenten.

Quad`ra*ges"i*mals (?), n. pl. Offerings formerly made to the mother church of a diocese on Mid- Lent Sunday.

Quad"ran`gle (?), n. [F., fr. L. quadrangulum; quattuor four + angulus an angle. See Four, and Angle a corner.]

1. (Geom.) A plane figure having four angles, and consequently four sides; any figure having four angles.

2. A square or quadrangular space or inclosure, such a space or court surrounded by buildings, esp. such a court in a college or public school in England.

Quad*ran"gu*lar (?), a. [Cf. F. quadrangulaire.] Having four angles, and consequently four sides; tetragonal. -- Quad*ran"gu*lar*ly, adv.

||Quad"rans (?), n.; pl. Quadrantes (#). [L.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A fourth ||part of the coin called an as. See 3d As, 2.

2. The fourth of a penny; a farthing. See Cur.

Quad"rant (?), n. [L. quadrans, -antis, a fourth part, a fourth of a whole, fr. quattuor four: cf. F. quadrant, cadran. See Four, and cf. Cadrans.] 1. The fourth part; the quarter. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. (Geom.) The quarter of a circle, or of the circumference of a circle, an arc of 90∞, or one subtending a right angle at the center.

3. (Anal. (Geom.) One of the four parts into which a plane is divided by the coˆrdinate axes. The upper right-hand part is the first quadrant; the upper left-hand part the second; the lower left-hand part the third; and the lower right-hand part the fourth quadrant.

4. An instrument for measuring altitudes, variously constructed and mounted for different specific uses in astronomy, surveying, gunnery, etc., consisting commonly of a graduated arc of 90∞, with an index or vernier, and either plain or telescopic sights, and usually having a plumb line or spirit level for fixing the vertical or horizontal direction.