quarter (ˈkwɔːtə
)
Definitions
noun
- one of four equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, amount, etc
- fourththe fraction equal to one divided by four ()
- US Canadian a quarter of a dollar; 25-cent piece
- a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight. 1 US quarter is equal to 25 pounds; 1 Brit quarter is equal to 28 pounds
- short for quarter-hour
- a fourth part of a year; three months
- astronomy
- one fourth of the moon's period of revolution around the earth
- either of two phases of the moon, first quarter or last quarter when half of the lighted surface is visible from the earth
- informal a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a pound or 4 ounces
- British a unit of capacity for grain, etc, usually equal to 8 UK bushels
- sport one of the four periods into which certain games are divided
- nautical the part of a vessel's side towards the stern, usually aft of the aftermost mast ⇒
the port quarter
- nautical the general direction along the water in the quadrant between the beam of a vessel and its stern ⇒
the wind was from the port quarter
- a region or district of a town or city ⇒
the Spanish quarter
- a region, direction, or point of the compass
- (sometimes plural) an unspecified person or group of people ⇒
to get word from the highest quarter
- mercy or pity, as shown to a defeated opponent (esp in the phrases ask for or give quarter)
- any of the four limbs, including the adjacent parts, of the carcass of a quadruped or bird ⇒
a hind quarter of beef
- veterinary science the side part of the wall of a horse's hoof
- the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp
- heraldry one of four more or less equal quadrants into which a shield may be divided
- military slang short for quartermaster
verb
- (tr) to divide into four equal or nearly equal parts
- (tr) to divide into any number of parts
- (tr) (esp formerly) to dismember (a human body) ⇒
to be drawn and quartered
- to billet or be billeted in lodgings, esp (of military personnel) in civilian lodgings
- (intr) (of gun dogs or hounds) to range over an area of ground in search of game or the scent of quarry
- (intr) nautical (of the wind) to blow onto a vessel's quarter ⇒
the wind began to quarter
- (tr) heraldry
- to divide (a shield) into four separate bearings with a cross
- to place (one set of arms) in diagonally opposite quarters to another
adjective
- being or consisting of one of four equal parts ⇒
a quarter pound of butter
Word Origin
C13: from Old French quartier, from Latin quartārius a fourth part, from quartus fourth
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
district,
region,
neighbourhood,
place,
point,
part,
side,
area,
position,
station,
spot,
territory,
zone,
location,
province,
colony,
locality,
=
mercy,
pity,
compassion,
favour,
charity,
sympathy,
tolerance,
kindness,
forgiveness,
indulgence,
clemency,
leniency,
forbearance,
lenity,
=
accommodate,
house,
lodge,
place,
board,
post,
station,
install,
put up,
billet,
give accommodation provide with accommodation
