quadrans 
pellets, to indicate that it was (nominally) of the weight 
of three uncite (ounces'). Quadrans Muralls, 'the Mu- 
ral Quadrant,' an obsolete constellation, introduced by 
Lalande (1795). 
quadrant (kwod'rant), n. and a. [< ME. quad- 
rant, < AF. quatlrunt, a farthing, OF. quadrant, 
a Koman coin (quadrans), also quadran, cadraii, 
a sun-dial, F. cadraii, a sun-dial, dial, = Sp. 
cuadrante = Pg. It. quadrante = D. kwadrant = 
G. quadrant = Sw. quadrant = Dan. kradrant, 
a quadrant, < L. quadra(t-)s, a fourth part, 
a quarter, applied to a coin (see quadrans), a 
weight (a fourth of a pound), a measure (a 
fourth of a foot, of an acre, of a sextarius), < 
ftuittuor (quadr-) = E. four: see four.'] I, n. 
t. The fourth part ; the quarter. 
The sunne, who in his annuall circle takes 
A daye's full quadrant from the ensuing yeere, 
Repayes it in foure yeeres, and equall makes 
The number of the dayes within his spheare. 
Sir J. Beautnnnt, End of his Majesty's First Year. 
In sixty-three years there may be lost almost eighteen 
days, omitting the intercalation of one day every fourth 
year allowed for this quadrant, or six hours supernume- 
rary. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., iv. 12. 
2. The quarter of a circle ; the arc of a circle 
containing 90; also, the figure included be- 
tween this arc and two radii drawn from the 
center to each extremity; the division of an- 
gular magnitude from zero to a right angle, or 
90. 3. An astronomical instrument for mea- 
suring altitudes, of ancient origin, and consist- 
ing of a graduated arc of 90, with a movable 
radius carrying sights, or the quadrant, carry- 
ing sights, might turn about a fixed radius. 
Picard in 1660 substituted a telescope for the sights, and 
Flamsteed (1689) introduced spider-lines in the focal plane 
of the object-glass. The quadrant was superseded by the 
mural circle, and this by the meridian circle. 
Howe it commeth to passe that, at the beginnynge of 
the euenyng twilight, it [the pole-star] is eleuate in that 
Region only fyue degrees in the moneth of lune, and in 
the morninge twylight to bee eleuate xv. degrees by the 
same quaadrante, I doo not mderstande. 
. Eden, tr. of Peter Martyr (First Books on America, 
(ed. Arber, p. 90). 
Those curious Quadmtits, Chimes, and Dials, those kind 
of Waggons which are used up and down Christendom, 
were first used by them. Homtt, Letters, I. ii. 15. 
The astrolabe and quadrant are almost the only astro- 
nomical instruments used in Egypt. 
E. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians, I. 277. 
4. An instrument of navigation, for measuring 
the altitude of the sun, distinctively called the 
reflecting quadrant. It was invented by Thomas God- 
frey of Philadelphia in 1730, whence called Godfrey's bow, 
and perhaps independently by Hadley, an instrument- 
maker of London, about the same time. Among Hadley's 
papers after his death was found a description of a similar 
instrument by Newton, of earlier date. The quadrant is 
now nearly superseded by the sextant. 
5. An instrument used in giving a cannon or 
mortar the angle of elevation necessary to the 
desired range. In the older forms it has a graduated 
arc, and a plumb-line which indicates the angle of eleva- 
tion upon the arc. In a more finished and accurate form 
a spirit-level is substituted for the plumb, and one of the 
branches of the instrument is pivoted and slides over the 
face of the arc so as to show the elevation. Also called 
ffunners' quadrant and gunners' square. 
6. In elect., a name suggested for the practical 
unit of self-induction. Its value is 109 centi- 
meters Adams's quadrant, Coles's quadrant, va- 
rieties of the tack-staff, or Davis's quadrant. Colllns's 
quadrant, an instrument for finding the time of day at 
a fixed latitude, from the date and the altitude or azi- 
muth of the sun, by means of a stereographic projection 
of a quarter of the celestial zone between the tropics. 
Davis's quadrant, the back-staff, originally described by 
John Davis, the discoverer of Davis's Straits, in 1594. and 
still called by his name, though modified by Hooke, Bou- 
guer, and others. The observer stood with his back to the 
sun, and, looking through sights, brought the shadow 
of a pin into coincidence with the horizon. Godfrey's 
quadrant, Hadley's quadrant. See def. 4. Gunter's 
quadrant, a quadrant made of wood, brass, or other mate- 
rial a kind of stereographic projection on the plane of the 
equator, the eye being supposed to be in one of the poles. 
It is used to find the hour of the day, the sun's azimuth, 
etc., as also to take the altitude of an object in degrees. 
Horodictical quadrant, a sort of movable sun-dial. 
Upon the plane of the dial are described, first, seven con- 
centric quadrantal arcs marked with the signs of the 
zodiac, or days of the year, and, secondly, a number of 
curves the intersections of each of which with the cir- 
cles are at the same angular distances from one radius 
that the sun is above the horizon at a given hour of the 
day in each of the declinations represented by the circles. 
The radius DO" from that first mentioned carries sights, 
and from the center hangs a plumb-line whose intersec- 
tion with the proper circle marks the time of day. 
Mural quadrant. See mural. Quadrant electrom- 
eter. See electrometer. Quadrant electroscope. See 
electroscope. 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 fitted to the meridian, and 
can be moved round to all points of the horizon. It 
serves as a scale in measuring altitudes and other great 
circles. Slnlcal quadrant, a diagram, with or without 
a movable arm, for solving plane triangles. An octant is 
sufficient. Spirit-level quadrant, an instrument for 
4883 
determining altitudes by the use of a spirit-level. Sut- 
ton's quadrant. Same as Collins's quadrant. 
II, t a. Four-sided ; square. [Rare.] 
The bishop with Gilbert Bourne his chaplaine, Robert 
Warnington his commissarie, and Robert Johnson his 
register, were tarying in a quadrant void place before the 
doore of the same chamber. 
Foxe, Martyrs, p. 1206, an. 1550. 
Cross nowy quadrant. See crani. 
quadrantal (kwod'ran-tal), a. [= Sp. cuad- 
raiital = Pg. quadrantal, < L. quadrantalis, 
containing the fourth part of, < quadran(t-)s, a 
fourth part, a quarter : see quadrant.'] 1. Per- 
taining to a quadrant; included in the fourth 
part of a circle : as, a quadrantal space. 
Problems in Dialling, both Universal and Particular, 
and performed by the Lines inscribed on the Quadrantal 
Part of the Instrument. 
Quoted in iV. and Q., 7th ser., VIII. 244. 
2. Pertaining to the quadrans; of the value 
of a quadrans.- Quadrantal dial. See dwJ.-Quad- 
rantal triangle, in triyon., a spherical triangle which has 
one side equalto a quadrant, or 90. 
quadrantal (kwod'ran-tal), . [< L. quadran- 
tal, a liquid measure containing eight congii, 
also a cube, die, < quadrantalis, containing a 
fourth: see quadrantal, a.] 1. A liquid mea- 
sure used by the Eomans, equivalent to the 
amphora. 2. A cube. [Bare.] 
quadrant-compass (kwod'rant-kum"pas), n. A 
carpenters' compass with a curved arm or arc, 
and a binding-screw to hold the limbs in any 
position. 
quadrantes, n. Plural of quadrans. 
quadrantid (kwod'ran-tid), . [< NL. Quad- 
ran(t-)s, sc. Mtiralis" (see quadram), + -'rf2.] 
One of a shower of shooting-stars appearing 
January 2d and 3d, and radiating from the old 
constellation Quadrans Muralis. 
quadrat (kwod'rat), a. and n. [Another form 
of quadrate; as a noun, in def. 1, < F. quadrat, 
cadrat, a quadrat, lit. a square : see quadrate.] 
I.t a. See quadrate. 
II. n. 1. In printing, a blank type for the 
larger blank spaces in or at the end of printed 
lines, cast lower in height, so that it shall not 
be inked or impressed: made in four forms for 
all text type en, em, two-em, three-em. Usu- 
ally abbreviated to quad. 
en quad, em quad. 2-era quad. 3-em quad. 
The low quadrat, for letterpress work, is about three 
fourths of an inch high ; the hiyh quadrat, for stereotype 
work, Is about ten twelfths of an inch high. 
In the lower case, having fifty-four boxes, are disposed 
the small letters, together with the points, spaces, quad- 
rats, etc. Ure, Diet., IIL 643. 
2. An instrument furnished with sights, a plum- 
met, and an index, and used for measuring 
altitudes, but superseded by more perfect in- 
struments in modern use. Also called geomet- 
rical square, and line of shadows. 3. A series 
or set of four. 
quadrata, n. Plural of quadratum. 
quadrate (kwod'rat), a. and n. [Formerly also 
quadrat; < OF. quadrat (F. quadrat, cadrat, as 
a noun : see quadrat) ; OF. vernacularly quarre 
(> E. quarry*), F. carre = Sp. cuadrato = Pg. 
quadrado = It. quadrato = D. kwadraat = G. 
Sw. quadrat = Dan. kvadrat, a square; < L. 
quadratus, square (neut. quadratum, a square, 
quadrate), pp. of quadrare, make four-cornered, 
square, put in order, intr. be square, < quadra, 
a square, later quadrus, square, < quattuor = 
E. four : see four. Cf . quarry 1 , a doublet of 
quadrate; cf. also square^.] I. a. 1. Having 
four equal and parallel sides; square; arranged 
in a square ; four-sided. 
And they followed in a quadrat array to the entent to 
destroy kyng Henry. 
Hall's Union (1548), Hen. IV., f. 13. (HaMmeU.) 
And searching his books, [he] found a book of astronomy 
. . . with figures, some round, some triangle, some quad- 
rate, Foxe, Martyrs, an. 1558. 
2. Square by being the product of a number 
multiplied into itself. 
Quadrate and cubical numbers. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., Iv. 12. 
3f. Square, as typifying justice according to 
the Pythagoreans; well-balanced. 
The Moralist tells us that a quadrat solid wise Man 
should involve and tackle himself within his own Virtue. 
Howell, Letters, I. vl. 58. 
4f. Fitted; suited; applicable. 
The word consumption, being applicable ... to a true 
and bastard consumption, requires a generical description 
quadrate to both. Harvey, Consumptions. 
5. In lier., of square form, or having square 
corners : thus, a cross quadrate in the center has 
four rectangular projections in its reentrant 
quadratic 
angles. Also quarter-angled Quadrate bone, in 
zaul., the special Done by the intervention of which the 
lower jaw of birds, ... 
reptiles, etc., ar- 
ticulates with the 
skull, thus dis- 
tinguishing them 
from mammals, in 
which the lower 
jaw articulates 
directly with the 
squamosal. See 
II., 3. Quad- 
rate cartilages, 
small quadrangu- 
larcartilages often 
found in the na- 
sal alffi. Quad- 
rate gyms or 
lobule. See gy- 
rwt, and cut under 
cerebral. Quad- 
rate line, lobe, 
pronator, etc. 
See the nouns. 
Quadrate mus- 
Left Quadrate Bone of an Eagle, outer side, 
a little enlarged. 
J, shaft or body of the bone ; ap, pterygoid 
apophysis for muscular attachment ; pa, ar- 
ticular facet for pteryjjoifl lx>ne ; iVi, en, inter- 
nal and external condyles for articulation 
with the lower jaw, separated by fjf, trochlear 
groove ; qjt, quadratojiigal cup for articula- 
tion of quadratojugalltone : hi, he, internal 
squamosal bone, separated by cf, capitular 
groove. 
die in anttt ' (a) and external capitulum for articulation with 
The quadratus fe- 
moris, or square 
muscle of the femur, of man, one of the six muscles col- 
lectively known in human anatomy as the rotatores femo- 
rls, arising from the ischium and passing to the intertro- 
chauteric part of the femur, which bone it rotates out- 
ward. (6) The quadratus lumborum. or square muscle of 
the loins, lying on each side of the lumbar region, between 
the lower ribs and the pelvis, (c) The square muscle of 
the chin, which draws down the lower lip: commonly 
called depressor labii inferiors, (d) The quadratus nictl- 
tantis, one of the two muscles (the other being the py- 
ramidal) on the back of the eyeball of birds, etc., subserv- 
ing the movements of the nictitating membrane, or third 
eyelid. See third cut under eyel. 
II. H. 1. A plane figure with four equal sides 
and four equal angles ; a square. 
The one imperfect, mortall, fceminine, 
Th' other immortal!, perfect, masculine; 
And twixt them both a quadrate was the base, 
Proportiond equally by seven and nine. 
Spenser, If. Q., II. ix. 22. 
The powers militant 
... in mighty quadrate join'd. 
Milton, P. L., vi. 62. 
2. In astral., an aspect of two heavenly bodies 
in which they are distant from each other nine- 
ty degrees, or the quarter of a circle; quartile. 
3. In zool. and anat. : (a) The os quadratum, 
or quadrate bone (see I.); the os pedicellatum, 
or pedicellate bone ; the suspensorium, or sus- 
pender bone of the mandible, or that one which 
is in connection with the lower jaw, in verte- 
brates below mammals. Also called by Owen and 
others the tympanic bone, and considered to represent that 
bone of a mammal; by most zoologists now identified 
with the malleus or greater part of the malleus of Mamma- 
lia, formed about the proximal extremity of the Meckelian 
cartilage. In birds and reptiles the quadrate is a remark- 
ably distinct bone, generally shaped something like an an- 
vil or a molar tooth, with normally four separate movable 
articulations with the squamosal above, the mandible 
below, the pterygold internally, and the quadratojiigal 
externally. Such vertebrates are hence called Quadra- 
tijera. (See cuts under Gallinse, and quadrate, a.) Below 
reptiles the quadrate or its equivalent assumes other char- 
acters, and its homologies are then disputed ; so the bone 
which has at any rate the same function, that of suspend- 
ing the lower jaw to the skull, is usually called by another 
name. See epitympanic and hyomandibular, and cuts un- 
der hyoid &ndpalatoquadrate. See also cuts under Python, 
poison-fang, Crotalus, Pelromyzon, teleost, palatoquadrate, 
and acrodmtf. (ft) Any quadrate muscle. 4. In 
musical notation: (a) Same as natural, fl: so 
called because derived from B quadratum 
(which see, under B). (b) Same as breve, 1. 
quadrate (kwod'rat), v.; pret. and pp. quad- 
rated, ppr. quadrating. [< L. quadratus, pp. 
of quadrare (> It. quadrare = Pg. quadrar = 
Sp. cuadrar = F. cadrer, OF. quadrer, > E. 
quader*, q. v.), make four-cornered, square : see 
quadrate, a. and .] I.t trans. 1. To square; 
adjust; trim, as a gun on its carriage. 2. To 
divide into four equal parts; quarter. Moor, 
Hindu Pantheon (1810), p. 249. 
II. intrans. To square; fit; suit; agree: fol- 
lowed by with. 
One that . . . has a few general rules, which, like me- 
chanical instruments, he applies to the works of every 
writer, and as they quadrate with them pronounces the 
author perfect or defective. A ddison, Sir Timothy Tittle. 
But we should have to make our language over from 
the beginning, if we would have it quadrate u-ith other 
languages. F. Hall, False Philol., p. 85. 
quadrated (kwod'rat-ed), p. a. [< quadrate, .] 
In quadrature. 
What time the moon is quadrated in Heaven. 
Poe, Al Aaraaf, ii. 
quadrati, . Plural of quadratus. 
quadratic (kwod-rat'ik), a. and n. [< quadrate 
+ -<c.] I. a. 1. In alg., involving the square 
and no higher power of the unknown quantity 
or variable of the second degree; of two di- 
