quarter-pieces 
quarter-pieces (kwar'ter-pe'sez), . pi. Naut., 
projections beyond the quarters of a ship for 
additional cabin accommodation. 
quarter-pierced (kwar'ter-perst), a. In In i-., 
pierced with a square hole not so large as in 
quartered or quarterly jiicrced. See quartered, 5. 
Cross quarter-pierced. See crossi. 
quarter-plate (kwar'ter-plat), n. In photog.: 
(a) A size of plate measuring 3 X 4J inches. 
The half-plate measures 4 X 5$ inches in the 
United' States (4f X f>i in England), and the 
irholr-pltite && X 8J inches. (b) A plate of this 
size, or a picture made from such a plate. 
quarter-point (kwar'ter-point), n. Naut., the 
fourth part of a point, or 2 48' 45". 
quarter-pointed (kwar'ter-poin"ted), a. In 
her., representing one quarter of the field cut 
off saltierwise, usually that quarter which is 
appended to either side of the field. 
quarter-rail (kwar'ter-ral), n. Naut., that part 
of the rail whrch runs above the quarter of the 
ship ; the rail that serves as a guard to the quar- 
ter-deck where there are no ports or bulwarks. 
quarter-rest (kwar'ter-rest), n. A rest or sign 
for silence, equivalent in time-value to a quar- 
ter-note ; a crotchet-rest: marked | or j{- Also 
called quarter-note rest. 
quarter-round (kwar'ter-round), n. 1 . In arch. , 
a molding whose contour is exactly or approxi- 
mately a quadrant : same as ovolo. 
In the quarter round of the cornish without there are 
spouts carved with a lip and flowers that do not project. 
Pococke, Description of the East, II. i. 109. 
2. Any tool adapted for forming quarter- 
rounds, as an ovolo-plane. Quarter-round tool, 
a chisel adapted for cutting concave or convex moldings. 
quarter-saver (kwar'ter-sa"ver), . A device 
attached to a knitting-machine to prevent the 
work from running off if the yarn breaks or runs 
out. 
quarter-sawed (kwar'ter-sad), a. Same as 
quartered, 4. 
quarter-seal (kwar'ter-sel), n. The seal kept 
by the director of the Chancery of Scotland. 
It is in the shape and impression of the fourth part of the 
great seal, and is in the Scotch statutes called the testimo- 
nial of the great teal. Gifts of lands from the crown pass 
this seal in certain cases. Bell. 
quarter-section (kwar'ter-sek"shou), n. In the 
United States Government Land Survey, a 
square tract of laud containing 160 acres, and 
constituting one fourth of a section. 
quarter-sessions (kwar'ter-sesh"onz), n. pi. 1. 
A criminal court held quarterly in England by 
justices of the peace in counties (in Ireland by 
county-court judges), and by the recorder in 
boroughs, and having jurisdiction of minor 
offenses and administration of highway laws, 
poor-laws, etc. In several of the United States 
a somewhat similar court is known by this 
name. 
A great broad-shonlder'd genial Englishman, . . . 
A quarter-sessions chairman, abler none. 
Tennyson, Princess, Conclusion. 
2. In Scotland, a court held by the justices of 
the peace four times a year at the county 
towns, and having power to review sentences 
pronounced at the special and petty sessions. 
Abbreviated Q. S. 
quarter-sling (kwar'ter-sling), n. One of the 
supports for a yard on either side of its center. 
quarter-square (kwar'ter-skwar), n. The fourth 
part of the square of a number. Tables of quar- 
ter-squares are sometimes used to replace logarithms, on 
account of the property that } (z + yy + J (z y)' = xy. 
quarter-Staff (kwar'ter-staf), .; pi. quarter- 
staves (-stiivz). An old English weapon formed 
of a stout pole about &J feet long, it was grasped 
by one hand in the middle, and by the other between the 
middle and the end. In the attack the latter hand shifted 
from one quarter of the staff to the other, giving the weapon 
a rapid circular motion, which brought the ends on the 
adversary at unexpected points. 
A stout frere I met, 
And a quarter-staffe in his hande. 
Playe of Robijn Hode (Child's Ballads, V. 420). 
Quarter-staff Dr. Johnson explains to be "A staff of de- 
fence, so called, I believe, from the manner of using it ; 
one hand being placed at the middle, and the other equal- 
ly between the end and the middle." 
Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, p. 357. 
The two champions, being alike armed with quarter- 
staves, stepped forward. . . . The miller, . . . holding 
his qnarter-titajf by the middle, and making it flourish 
round his head, . . . exclaimed boastfully, "Come on, 
churl, an thou darest ! " Scott, Ivanhoe, xi. 
quarter-stanchion (kwar'ter-stan"shon), n. 
Naut., a strong stanchion in the quarters of a 
square-sterned vessel, one such stanchion form- 
ing the extreme boundary of the stern on each 
Hide. 
4899 
quarter-stuff (kwar 'ter - stnf ), n. Plank one 
fourth of an inch in thickness. E. H. Knii/lit. 
quarter-tackle (kwar'ter-tak"l), it. A purchase 
sometimes used on the quarter of a lower yard 
to hoist boats, etc. 
quarter-timber (kwar'ter-tim'ber), n. 1. 
\aut., one of the framing-timbers in a ship's 
quarters. See cut under counter. 2. In. carp., 
scantling from two to six inches deep. E. II. 
Knight. 
quarter-tone (kwar'ter-ton), n. Ill iitiixii'iil 
acoustics, an interval equivalent to one half of 
a semitone or half-step. The term is loosely 
applied to a variety of small intervals, espe- 
cially to enharmonic ones. 
quarter-trap (kwar'ter-trap), n. In theaters, 
a small trap on each side of the stage, on a line 
with the first entrance. 
quarter-turn (kwar'ter-tern), n. The arc sub- 
tending an angle of 90 ; a bend or change of 
direction at right angles. Quarter-turn belt, 
gooseneck, etc. See belt, etc. 
quarter-undulation (kwav"ter-un-du-la'shon), 
. In optics, a quarter of a wave-length Quar- 
ter-undulation plate, a plate (as of mica) so thin as to 
cause in a refracted ray a retardation equal to one fourth 
of a wave-length. Such a plate is used in determining in 
the polariscope the positive or negative character of a uni- 
axial crystal. 
quarter-vine (kwar'ter-vin), n. An American 
vine, Bianonia capreolata. It is so called because, 
owing to the projection of medullary tissue in four wing- 
like layers from the middle to near the surface, a short 
section of the stem, when gently twisted in the hand, will 
divide into quarters. See cross-vine. 
quarter-waiter (kwar'ter-wa"ter), n. An of- 
ficer or gentleman usher of the English court 
who is one of a number in attendance by turns 
for a quarter of a year at a time. Also called 
quarterly waiter. 
Gentleman Usher. " No, do as I bid thee ; Ishouldknow 
something that have beene a quarter-wayter [in the queen's 
service] these nfteenyeares.' 
Sir J. Dames, Dialogue, Tanner MS. 79. 
quarter-watch (kwar'ter-woch), n. Naut., one 
lialf of the watch on deck. 
On the whaling ground in the southern fishery, when a 
ship is hove to in mid-ocean, they stand quarter-watches, 
one-fourth of the working hands, or half of each watch, 
being on duty, headed by the boat-steerers. 
Fisheries of IT. S., V. ii. 229. 
quarter-wind (kwar'ter-wind), n. Naut., a 
wind blowing on a vessel's quarter. 
quarter-yard (kwar'ter-yard), n. An old ale- 
measure. See ale-yard and half-yard. 
quartet, quartette (kwar-tef), . [< It. quar- 
tetto, a quartet, < L. quartus, fourth: see quart 1 .'} 
1. In music, : (a) A composition or movement 
for four solo parts, either vocal or instrumen- 
tal, usually without accompaniment. Specifi- 
cally, an instrumental work, usually for four stringed in- 
struments, written in sonata form, and planned like a 
small symphony ; a string-quartet. The quartet is the 
highest variety of chamber-music. It first reached its 
full development at the end of the eighteenth century. 
(&) A company of four singers or players who 
perform quartets. A mixed vocal quartet properly 
consists of a soprano (treble), an alto, a tenor, and a bass. 
A string-quartet consists of two violins, a viola, and a vio- 
loncello. ( c ) I n an orchestra the stringed in- 
struments collectively, and in oratorio music 
the principal vocal soloists, are sometimes loose- 
ly called the quartet. 2. A stanza of four 
lines. 3. Same as quadruplet. Car-Builder's 
Diet Double quartet, (a) A composition for eight 
voices or instruments, especially for four violins, two 
violas, and two violoncellos. Grove, (b) The performers 
of such a composition, whether vocal or instrumental. 
Quartet choir, a church choir consisting only of a mixed 
quartet, especially when made up of expert singers. 
quartette (kwar-tet'6), n. [It.] Same as quar- 
tet. 
quartfult, quartifult, a. [ME. quartyfulle, quar- 
ful; < quart 3 + -ful.] In good health; pros- 
perous. Cath. Ang. 
quartfulnesst, . [ME. quarfulnesse ; <quart- 
ful + -ness.] Prosperity. Cath. Ang. 
quartic (kwar'tik), a. and n. [< L. quartus, 
fourth (see quart*), + -ic.] I. a. In math., of 
the fourth degree; especially, of the fourth 
order Quartic symmetry, symmetry like that of a 
regular octagon ; in general, symmetry arising from the 
vanishing of the cubinvariant of a quartic. 
II. n. An algebraic function of the fourth 
degree; a quantic of the fourth degree Blcir- 
cular quartic. See bicircular. Ex-cubo-quartic, a 
non-plane curve formed by the intersection of a quadric 
and a cubic surface which have, besides, two non-inter- 
secting straight lines in common. 
quartifult, a. See quartful. 
quartile (kwar'til), n. [< L. quartus, fourth 
(see quart 1 ), + -He..'] In astrol., an aspect of 
planets when their longitudes differ by 90. 
See a#jiect, 7. 
quartz 
The heavens threaten us with their comets, stars, 
planets, with their great conjunctions, eclipses, opposi- 
tions, quartUes, and such unfriendly aspects. 
Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 87. 
Or Mars and Venus, in a q-uari.il, move 
My pangs of jealousy for Arcite's love. 
Dryden, Pal. and Arc., L 600. 
quartilunar (kwar-ti-lu'nar), a. [< L. quartan, 
fourth (see quart*), + luna, moon : see lunar.] 
Pertaining to or consisting of one fourth of a 
lunar month. [Rare.] 
Such [tidal] waves as these may follow their causes, in 
periodic times, not diurnally alone, as influenced by sun 
and moon, but in semilunar or quartilutMr intervals. 
Fitz Koy, Weather Book, p. 90. 
quartine (kwar'tin), n. [< L. quartus, fourth 
(see quart*), + -iue*.] In hot., a supposed 
fourth integument of some ovules, counting 
from the outermost. It is really only a layer 
of the secundine or of the nucleus. 
quartiuvariant (kwar-tin-va'ri-ant), n. [< L. 
quartus. fourth, + E. invariant.} An invariant 
of the fourth degree in the coefficients. 
quartisection (kwar-ti-sek'shpn), n. [< L. 
quartus, fourth, + E. section.] Separation 
into four equal parts ; quadrisection. 
quartisternal (kwar-ti-ster'nal), . [< L. quar- 
tus, fourth, + sternum, breast-bone.] Inanat., 
the fourth sterneber, counting from the manu- 
brium backward; that bone of the sternum 
which is opposite the fourth intercostal space. 
[Rare.] 
quartle(kwar'tl),n. [Avar, of quarter 1 .] Same 
as quarter*. Halliwell. 
quartlet (kwart'let), n. [ME. quartelette, < OF. 
"quartelet, < quart, fourth: see quart*.] A 
tankard or goblet holding a quart. 
Item, ij. quartelettes, of dyvers sortes, weiyng xlviij. 
unces. Paston Letters, I. 472. 
quarto (kwar'to), n. and a. [Short for L. (NL.) 
in quarto : L. in, in ; quarto, abl. of quartus, 
fourth: see quart*.] I. n. A size of book in 
which the leaf is one fourth of a described or 
implied size of paper. The sheet folded twice in cross 
directions makes the square quarto, or regular quarto ; 
folded twice in the samedirection makes the longquarto. 
A cap quarto is 7 x 8J inches ; demy quarto, 8 x 104 inches ; 
folio-post quarto, 8J x 11 inches ; medium quarto, 9 x 12 
inches; royal quarto, 10 x 13 inches. The leaf of a quarto 
is understood to have a broad and short shape. Abbrevi- 
ated 4to. 
In my library there is a large copy of the Apocrypha, 
in what may be called elephant quarto, printed for T. 
Cadell and W. Davies, by Thomas Bensley, 1816. 
JIT. and Q., 7th ser., IX. 366. 
Broad quarto. See broad folio, under broad. Small 
quarto, a square octavo ; a book having eight leaves to a 
sheet but the shape of a quarto. 
II. a. Noting the size of a book in which a 
sheet makes four leaves: as, a quarto volume; 
being of the size or shape of the leaves of a 
quarto: as, quarto paper; a quarto edition. 
Quartodeciman (kwar-to-des'i-man), . and a. 
[< ML. quartadecimani, pi., < L. quarto, decima 
(sc. dies lunx), the fourteenth (day of the 
moon), fern, of quartus decimus, fourteenth, < 
quartus, fourth, + decimus, tenth: see quart* 
and decimal.] I. n. A member of one of those 
early Christian communities which celebrated 
the Paschal festival on the fourteenth day of the 
month Nisan (the same day as that on which 
the Jews celebrated their Passover), without 
regard to the day of the week. This practice led 
to great confusion and to a wide-spread controversy (the 
Quartodeciman controversy). In modern times this ques- 
tion has been much misunderstood, from a failure to dis- 
tinguish the "Pascha" which was the anniversary of 
Christ's crucifixion from that which was the anniversary 
of his resurrection. The Quartodeciman usage was finally 
condemned by the Council of Nice, A. D. 325. 
II. a. Relating to the Quartodecimans or to 
their practice of celebrating the Paschal feast. 
As to the origin and precise nature of the Quartodeciman 
observance, there is not yet an entire agreement. 
Q. P. Fisher, Begin, of Christianity, p. 334. 
Quartodecimani (kwar-to-des-i-ma'ni), n. pi. 
[See Quartodeciman.] The Quartodecimans. 
Quartodecimanian (k war-to-des-i-ma'ni-an) , 
n. and a. [< Quartodeciman + -ian.] Same as 
Qutirttidecimaii. Also Quartadecimanian. 
quartole (kwar'tol), n. [< L. quartus, fourth: 
see quart*.] In music, a group of four notes to 
be performed in the time of three or six. Com- 
pare decimate, quintole, etc. 
quartraint (kwar'tran), n. An improper form 
of quatrain. 
quartridget (kwar'trij), . An obsolete form 
of quarterage. 
quartz (kwarts), n. [= F. quartz = Sp. ewnrro 
= Pg. It. quarzo = D. kwarts = Sw. qrarts = 
Dan. kvarts = Russ. krartsu, < MHG. quars (pi. 
querze), G. quars, rock-crystal, quartz.] The 
