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   quarter

   /ˈk(w)ɔːtə/

   noun

   • 1. each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided: "she cut each apple into quarters"
   • ▪ a period of three months regarded as one fourth of a year, used especially in reference to financial transactions such as the payment of bills or a company's earnings: "the first quarter of the fiscal year"
   • ▪ a period of fifteen minutes or a point of time marking the transition from one fifteen-minute period to the next: "he sat with his pint until a quarter past nine"
   • ▪ a coin representing 25 cents, a quarter of a US or Canadian dollar.
   • ▪ each of the four parts into which an animal's or bird's carcass may be divided, each including a leg or wing.
   • ▪ one fourth of a lunar month.
   • ▪ (in basketball, American football, and Australian Rules) each of four equal periods into which a game is divided: "there were four scores in the opening quarter"
   • ▪ one of four terms into which a school or university year may be divided. US
   • 2. one fourth of a pound weight (avoirdupois, equal to 4 ounces).
   • ▪ one fourth of a hundredweight (in the UK 28 lb or in the US 25 lb).
   • ▪ a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels. British
   • 3. the haunches or hindquarters of a horse: "they have strong, muscular quarters"
   • 4. a part of a town or city having a particular character or use: "a beautiful port city with a fascinating medieval quarter" Similar districtarearegionpartsideneighbourhoodprecinctlocalitysectorsectionzonetractbeltghettocommunitycolonypocketenclaveterritoryprovinceparishward
   • 5. the direction of one of the points of the compass, especially as a direction from which the wind blows.
   • ▪ a particular but unspecified person, group of people, or area: "we have just had help from an unexpected quarter" Similar sourcedirectionplacepointspotlocationperson
   • ▪ either side of a ship aft of the beam: "he trained his glasses over the starboard quarter"
   • 6. rooms or lodgings, especially those allocated to people in military or domestic service: "they lived in RAF married quarters" Similar accommodationlodgingsroomschambersplace of residencehomeshelterpied-à-terreinformal:digsinformal, dated:padbilletformal:abodedwellingdwelling placeresidencedomicilehabitation
   • 7. pity or mercy shown towards an enemy or opponent who is in one's power: "the riot squad gave no quarter" Similar mercyleniencyclemencylenitycompassionpitycharityforbearanceindulgencekindnesssympathytolerance
   • 8. each of four or more roughly equal divisions of a shield separated by vertical and horizontal lines.
   • ▪ a square charge which covers the top left (dexter chief) quarter of the field.

   verb

   • 1. divide into four equal or corresponding parts: "peel and quarter the bananas"
   • ▪ cut (the body of an executed person) into four parts: historical "the plotters were hanged, drawn, and quartered"
   • ▪ cut (a log) into quarters, and these into planks so as to show the grain well.
   • 2. be stationed or lodged in a specified place: "many were quartered in tents" Similar accommodatehouseboardlodgegive accommodation toprovide with accommodationput uptake ingive a bed toinstallgive a roof toput a roof over someone's headshelterinformal, dated:billet
   • ▪ impose someone on (another person) as a lodger: "you would have had her quartered on you forever"
   • 3. range over or traverse (an area) in every direction: "we watched a pair of kingfishers quartering the river looking for minnows" Similar patrolrange overtourreconnoitretraversesurveyinspectspy outscoutinformal:recce
   • ▪ move at an angle; go in a diagonal or zigzag direction: "his young dog quartered back and forth in quick turns"
   • 4. display (different coats of arms) in quarters of a shield, especially to show arms inherited from heiresses who have married into the bearer's family: "Edward III quartered the French royal arms with his own"
   • ▪ divide (a shield) into four or more parts by vertical and horizontal lines.

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French quartier, from Latin quartarius ‘fourth part of a measure’, from quartus ‘fourth’, from quattuor ‘four’.

   Scrabble Points: 16

   • Q

     10

   • U

     1

   • A

     1

   • R

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

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