Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter Q - Page 10
Quip (v. i.) To scoff; to use taunts. -- Sir H. Sidney.
Quip (n.) A witty saying [syn: epigram, quip].
Quip (n.) Witty remark [syn: wisecrack, crack, sally, quip].
Quip (v.) Make jokes or quips; "The students were gagging during dinner" [syn: gag, quip].
QUIP, () QUad In-line Package.
Quipo (n.) Same as Quipu.
Quipus (n. pl. ) of Quipu.
Quipu (n.) A contrivance employed by the ancient Peruvians, Mexicans, etc., as a substitute for writing and figures, consisting of a main cord, from which hung at certain distances smaller cords of various colors, each having a special meaning, as silver, gold, corn, soldiers. etc. Single, double, and triple knots were tied in the smaller cords, representing definite numbers.
It was chiefly used for arithmetical purposes, and to register important facts and events. [Written also quipo.] -- Tylor.
The mysterious science of the quipus . . . supplied the Peruvians with the means of communicating their ideas to one another, and of transmitting them to future generations. -- Prescott.
Quirboilly (n.) Leather softened by boiling so as to take any required shape. Upon drying, it becomes exceedingly hard, and hence was formerly used for armor. [Obs.] "His jambeux were of quyrboilly." -- Chaucer.
Quire (n.) See Choir. [Obs.] -- Spenser.
A quire of such enticing birds. -- Shak.
Quire (v. i.) To sing in concert. [R.] -- Shak.
Quire (n.) A collection of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold; one twentieth of a ream.
Choir (n.) A band or organized company of singers, especially in church service. [Formerly written also quire.].
Choir (n.) That part of a church appropriated to the singers.
Choir (n.) (Arch.) The chancel.
Choir organ (Mus.), One of the three or five distinct organs included in the full organ, each separable from the rest, but all controlled by one performer; a portion of the full organ, complete in itself, and more practicable for ordinary service and in the accompanying of the vocal choir.
Choir screen, Choir wall (Arch.), A screen or low wall separating the choir from the aisles.
Choir service, The service of singing performed by the choir. -- T. Warton.
Quire (n.) A quantity of paper; 24 or 25 sheets.
Quirister (n.) A chorister. See Chorister. [R.] -- Thomson.
Quiritation (n.) A crying for help. [Obs.] -- Bp. Hall.
Quirite (n.) One of the Quirites.
Quirites (n. pl.) (Rom. Antiq.) Roman citizens.
Note: After the Sabines and Romans had united themselves into one community, under Romulus, the name of Quirites was taken in addition to that of Romani, the Romans calling themselves in a civil capacity Quirites, while in a political and military capacity they retained the name of Romani. -- Andrews.
Quirk (n.) A sudden turn; a starting from the point or line; hence, an artful evasion or subterfuge; a shift; a quibble; as, the quirks of a pettifogger. "Some quirk or . . . evasion." -- Spenser.
We ground the justification of our nonconformity on dark subtilties and intricate quirks. -- Barrow.
Quirk (n.) A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice. [Obs.] "Quirks of joy and grief." -- Shak.
Quirk (n.) A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.
Some odd quirks and remnants of wit. -- Shak.
Quirk (n.) An irregular air; as, light quirks of music. -- Pope.
Quirk (n.) (Building) A piece of ground taken out of any regular ground plot or floor, so as to make a court, yard, etc.; -- sometimes written quink. -- Gwilt.
Quirk (n.) (Arch.) A small channel, deeply recessed in proportion to its width, used to insulate and give relief to a convex rounded molding.
Quirk molding, A bead between two quirks.
Quirk (n.) A strange attitude or habit [syn: oddity, queerness, quirk, quirkiness, crotchet].
Quirk (n.) A narrow groove beside a beading.
Quirk (v.) Twist or curve abruptly; "She quirked her head in a peculiar way".
Quirked (a.) Having, or formed with, a quirk or quirks.
Quirkish (a.) Consisting of quirks; resembling a quirk. -- Barrow.
Quirky (a.) Full of quirks; tricky; as, a quirky lawyer.
Quirky (a.) Informal terms; strikingly unconventional [syn: far-out, kinky, offbeat, quirky, way-out].
Quirl (n. & v.) See Querl.
Quirpele (n.) (Zool.) The Indian ferret.
Quirt (n.) A rawhide whip plaited with two thongs of buffalo hide. -- T. Roosevelt.
Quirt (n.) Whip with a leather thong at the end.
Quish (n.) See Cuish.
Cuish (n.) Defensive armor for the thighs. [ Written also cuisse, and quish.]
Guitguit (n.) (Zool.) One of several species of small tropical American birds of the family C[oe]rebid[ae], allied to the creepers; -- called also quit. See Quit.
Quit (n.) (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit, under Banana, and Guitguit.
Quit (a.) Released from obligation, charge, penalty, etc.; free; clear; absolved; acquitted. -- Chaucer.
The owner of the ox shall be quit. -- Ex. xxi. 28.
Note: This word is sometimes used in the form quits, colloquially; as, to be quits with one, that is, to have made mutual satisfaction of demands with him; to be even with him; hence, as an exclamation: Quits! We are even, or on equal terms. "To cry quits with the commons in their complaints." -- Fuller.
Quit (imp. & p. p.) of Quit.
Quitted () of Quit.
Quitting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quit.
Quit (v. t.) To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate. [R.]
To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it? -- Wake.
Quit (v. t.) To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, or the like; to absolve; to acquit.
There may no gold them quyte. -- Chaucer.
God will relent, and quit thee all his debt. -- Milton.
Quit (v. t.) To discharge, as an obligation or duty; to meet and satisfy, as a claim or debt; to make payment for or of; to requite; to repay.
The blissful martyr quyte you your meed. -- Chaucer.
Enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act. -- Shak.
Before that judge that quits each soul his hire. -- Fairfax.
Quit (v. t.) To meet the claims upon, or expectations entertained of; to conduct; to acquit; -- used reflexively.
Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. -- 1 Sam. iv. 9.
Samson hath quit himself Like Samson. -- Milton.
Quit (v. t.) To carry through; to go through to the end. [Obs.]
Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown. -- Daniel.
Quit (v. t.) To have done with; to cease from; to stop; hence, to depart from; to leave; to forsake; as, to quit work; to quit the place; to quit jesting.
Such a superficial way of examining is to quit truth for appearance. -- Locke.
To quit cost, To pay; to reimburse.
To quit scores, To make even; to clear mutually from demands.
Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it? -- South.
Syn: To leave; relinquish; resign; abandon; forsake; surrender; discharge; requite.
Usage: Quit, Leave. Leave is a general term, signifying merely an act of departure; quit implies a going without intention of return, a final and absolute abandonment.
Quit (v. i.) To go away; to depart; to stop doing a thing; to cease.
Quit (v.) Put an end to a state or an activity; "Quit teasing your little brother" [syn: discontinue, stop, cease, give up, quit, lay off] [ant: bear on, carry on, continue, preserve, uphold].
Quit (v.) Give up or retire from a position; "The Secretary of the Navy will leave office next month"; "The chairman resigned over the financial scandal" [syn: leave office, quit, step down, resign] [ant: take office].
Quit (v.) Go away or leave [syn: depart, take leave, quit] [ant: stay].
Quit (v.) Turn away from; give up; "I am foreswearing women forever" [syn: foreswear, renounce, quit, relinquish].
Quit (v.) Give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat; "In the second round, the challenger gave up" [syn: drop out, give up, fall by the wayside, drop by the wayside, throw in, throw in the towel, quit, chuck up the sponge] [ant: enter, participate].
Quitch (n.) (Bot.) Same as Quitch grass.
Quitch (n.) Figuratively: A vice; a taint; an evil.
To pick the vicious quitch Of blood and custom wholly out of him. -- Tennyson.
Quitch grass () (Bot.) A perennial grass ({Agropyrum repens) having long running rootstalks, by which it spreads rapidly and pertinaciously, and so becomes a troublesome weed. Also called couch grass, quick grass, quick grass, twitch grass. See Illustration in Appendix.
Quitclaim (n.) (Law) A release or relinquishment of a claim; a deed of release; an instrument by which some right, title, interest, or claim, which one person has, or is supposed to have, in or to an estate held by himself or another, is released or relinquished, the grantor generally covenanting only against persons who claim under himself.
Quitclaimed (imp. & p. p.) of Quitclaim.
Quitclaiming (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quitclaim.
Quitclaim (v. t.) To release or relinquish a claim to; to release a claim to by deed, without covenants of warranty against adverse and paramount titles.
Quitclaim (n.) Document transferring title or right or claim to another [syn: quitclaim, quitclaim deed].
Quitclaim (n.) Act of transferring a title or right or claim to another.
Quite (v. t. & i.) See Quit. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Quite (adv.) Completely; wholly; entirely; totally; perfectly; as, the work is not quite done; the object is quite accomplished; to be quite mistaken.
Man shall not quite be lost, but saved who will. -- Milton.
The same actions may be aimed at different ends, and arise from quite contrary principles. -- Spectator.
Quite (adv.) To a great extent or degree; very; very much; considerably. "Quite amusing." -- Macaulay.
He really looks quite concerned. -- Landor.
The island stretches along the land and is quite close to it. -- Jowett (Thucyd. ).
Quite (adv.) To a degree (not used with a negative); "quite tasty"; "quite soon"; "quite ill"; "quite rich" [syn: quite, rather].
Quite (adv.) To the greatest extent; completely; "you're quite right"; "she was quite alone"; "was quite mistaken"; "quite the opposite"; "not quite finished"; "did not quite make it".
Quite (adv.) Of an unusually noticeable or exceptional or remarkable kind (not used with a negative); "her victory was quite something"; "she's quite a girl"; "quite a film"; "quite a walk"; "we've had quite an afternoon" [syn: quite, quite a, quite an].
Quite (adv.) Actually or truly or to an extreme; "was quite a sudden change"; "it's quite the thing to do"; "quite the rage"; "Quite so!"
Quitly (adv.) Quite. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Quitrent (n.) (Law) A rent reserved in grants of land, by the payment of which the tenant is quit from other service. -- Blackstone.
Note: In some of the United States a fee-farm rent is so termed. -- Burrill.
Quits (interj.) See the Note under Quit, a.
Quits (a.) On equal terms by payment or requital; "we're now quits"; "finally quits with the loan".
Quittable (a.) Capable of being quitted.
Quittal (n.) Return; requital; quittance. [Obs.]
Quittance (n.) Discharge from a debt or an obligation; acquittance.
Omittance is no quittance. -- Shak.
Quittance (n.) Recompense; return; repayment. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Quittance (v. t.) To repay; to requite. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Quittance (n.) A document or receipt certifying release from an obligation or debt.
Quittance (n.) Payment of a debt or obligation [syn: repayment, quittance].
Quitter (n.) One who quits.
Quitter (n.) A deliverer. [Obs.] -- Ainsworth.
Quitter (n.) A person who gives up too easily.
Quittor (n.) (Far.) A chronic abscess, or fistula of the coronet, in a horse's foot, resulting from inflammation of the tissues investing the coffin bone.
Quitture (n.) A discharge; an issue. [Obs.]
To cleanse the quitture from thy wound. -- Chapman.
Quiver (a.) Nimble; active. [Obs.] " A little quiver fellow." -- Shak.
Quivered (imp. & p. p.) of Quiver.
Quivering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quiver.
Quiver (v. i.) To shake or move with slight and tremulous motion; to tremble; to quake; to shudder; to shiver.
The green leaves quiver with the cooling wind. -- Shak.
And left the limbs still quivering on the ground. -- Addison.
Quiver (n.) The act or state of quivering; a tremor.
Quiver (n.) A case or sheath for arrows to be carried on the person.
Beside him hung his bow And quiver, with three-bolted thunder stored. -- Milton.
Quiver (n.) An almost pleasurable sensation of fright; "a frisson of surprise shot through him" [syn: frisson, shiver, chill, quiver, shudder, thrill, tingle].
Quiver (n.) A shaky motion; "the shaking of his fingers as he lit his pipe" [syn: shaking, shakiness, trembling, quiver, quivering, vibration, palpitation].
Quiver (n.) Case for holding arrows.
Quiver (n.) The act of vibrating [syn: vibration, quiver, quivering].
Quiver (v.) Shake with fast, tremulous movements; "His nostrils palpitated" [syn: quiver, quake, palpitate].
Quiver (v.) Move back and forth very rapidly; "the candle flickered" [syn: flicker, waver, flitter, flutter, quiver].
Quiver (v.) Move with or as if with a regular alternating motion; "the city pulsated with music and excitement" [syn: pulsate, beat, quiver].
Quiver, () The sheath for arrows. The Hebrew word (aspah) thus commonly rendered is found in Job 39:23; Ps. 127:5; Isa. 22:6; 49:2; Jer. 5:16; Lam. 3:13. In Gen. 27:3 this word is the rendering of the Hebrew _teli_, which is supposed rather to mean a suspended weapon, literally "that which hangs from one", i.e., is suspended from the shoulder or girdle.
QUIVER, (n.) A portable sheath in which the ancient statesman and the aboriginal lawyer carried their lighter arguments.
He extracted from his quiver, Did the controversial Roman, An argument well fitted To the question as submitted, Then addressed it to the liver, Of the unpersuaded foeman. Oglum P. Boomp
Quivered (a.) Furnished with, or carrying, a quiver. "Like a quivered nymph with arrows keen." -- Milton.
Quivered (a.) Sheathed, as in a quiver. "Whose quills stand quivered at his ear." -- Pope.
Quiveringly (adv.) With quivering motion.
Qui vive () The challenge of a French sentinel, or patrol; -- used like the English challenge: "Who comes there?"
To be on the qui vive, To be on guard; to be watchful and alert, like a sentinel.
Qui vive (n.) Condition of heightened watchfulness or preparation for action; "bombers were put on alert during the crisis" [syn: alert, qui vive].
Quixotic (a.) Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded. See also quixotism. "Feats of quixotic gallantry." -- Prescott.
Quixotic (a.) Like the deeds of Don Quixote; ridiculously impractical; unachievable; extravagantly romantic; doomed to failure; as, a quixotic quest.
The word "quixotic" . . . has entered the common language, with the meaning "hopelessly naive and idealistic," "ridiculously impractical," "doomed to fail." That this epithet can be used now in an exclusively pejorative sense not only shows that we have ceased to read Cervantes and to understand his character, but more fundamentally it reveals that our culture has drifted away from its spiritual roots. -- Simon Leys (N. Y. Review of Books, June 11, 1998, p. 35).
Quixotic (a.) Not sensible about practical matters; idealistic and unrealistic; "as quixotic as a restoration of medieval knighthood"; "a romantic disregard for money"; "a wild-eyed dream of a world state" [syn: quixotic, romantic, wild-eyed].
QUIXOTIC, (a.) Absurdly chivalric, like Don Quixote. An insight into the beauty and excellence of this incomparable adjective is unhappily denied to him who has the misfortune to know that the gentleman's name is pronounced Ke-ho-tay.
When ignorance from out of our lives can banish Philology, 'tis folly to know Spanish.
Quixotically (adv.) In a quixotic way.
Quixotically (adv.) In a quixotic manner; "sent to jail for two years, he has quixotically refused to clear himself by betraying his colleagues".
Quixotism (n.) That form of delusion which leads to extravagant and absurd undertakings or sacrifices in obedience to a morbidly romantic ideal of duty or honor, as illustrated by the exploits of Don Quixote in knight-errantry. See quixotic.
Quixotism (n.) Quixotic (romantic and impractical) behavior [syn: knight errantry, quixotism].
Quixotry (n.) Quixotism; visionary schemes.
Quiz (n.) A riddle or obscure question; an enigma; a ridiculous hoax.
Quiz (n.) One who quizzes others; as, he is a great quiz.
Quiz (n.) An odd or absurd fellow. -- Smart. Thackeray.
Quiz (n.) An exercise, or a course of exercises, conducted as a coaching or as an examination. [Cant, U.S.]
Quizzed (imp. & p. p.) of Quiz.
Quizzing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quiz.
Quiz (v. t.) To puzzle; to banter; to chaff or mock with pretended seriousness of discourse; to make sport of, as by obscure questions.
He quizzed unmercifully all the men in the room. -- Thackeray.
Quiz (v. t.) To peer at; to eye suspiciously or mockingly.
Quiz (v. t.) To instruct in or by a quiz. See Quiz, n., 4. [U.S.]
Quizzing glass, A small eyeglass.
Quiz (v. i.) To conduct a quiz. See Quiz, n., 4. [U.S.]
Quiz (n.) An examination consisting of a few short questions.
Quiz (v.) Examine someone's knowledge of something; "The teacher tests us every week"; "We got quizzed on French irregular verbs" [syn: quiz, test].
Quizzer (n.) One who quizzes; a quiz.
Quizzer (n.) Someone who administers a test to determine your qualifications [syn: examiner, tester, quizzer].
Quizzical (a.) Relating to quizzing: given to quizzing; of the nature of a quiz; farcical; sportive. -- Quiz"zic*al*ly, adv.
Quizzical (a.) Playfully vexing (especially by ridicule); "his face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air"- Lawrence Durrell [syn: mocking, teasing, quizzical].
Quizzical (a.) Perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know); "he had a quizzical expression" [syn: questioning, quizzical].
Quizzism (n.) The act or habit of quizzing.
Quob (v. i.) To throb; to quiver. [Local & Vulgar]
Quod (v. t.) To put in quod, or prison; to lock up; to jug. [Slang] -- Kipling.
Quod (n.) A quadrangle or court, as of a prison; hence, a prison. [Slang] "Flogged or whipped in quod." -- T. Hughes.
Quod (v.) Quoth; said. See Quoth. [Obs.] "Let be," quod he, "it shall not be." -- Chaucer.
Quoddies (n. pl.) Herring taken and cured or smoked near Quoddy Head, Maine, or near the entrance of Passamaquoddy Ray.
Quodlibet (n.) A nice point; a subtilty; a debatable point.
These are your quodlibets, but no learning. -- P. Fletcher.
Quodlibet (n.) (Mus.) A medley improvised by several performers.
Quodlibet (n.) An issue that is presented for formal disputation.
Quodlibetarian (n.) One who discusses any subject at pleasure.
Quodlibetical (a.) Not restricted to a particular subject; discussed for curiosity or entertainment. -- Quod`li*bet"ic*al*ly, adv.
Quoif (n. & v. t.) See Coif. -- Shak.
Coif (n.) A cap. Specifically:
Coif (n.) (a) A close-fitting cap covering the sides of the head, like a small hood without a cape.
Coif (n.) (b) An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England. [Written also quoif.]
From point and saucy ermine down To the plain coif and russet gown. -- H. Brocke.
The judges, . . . althout they are not of the first magnitude, nor need be of the degree of the coif, yet are they considerable. --Bacon.
Coif (n.) A coiffure.
Quoiffure (n.) See Coiffure.
Quoil (n.) See Coil. [Obs.]
Quoin (n.) (Arch.) Originally, a solid exterior angle, as of a building; now, commonly, one of the selected pieces of material by which the corner is marked.
Note: In stone, the quoins consist of blocks larger than those used in the rest of the building, and cut to dimension. In brickwork, quoins consist of groups or masses of brick laid together, and in a certain imitation of quoins of stone.
Quoin (n.) A wedgelike piece of stone, wood metal, or other material, used for various purposes ; as:
Quoin (n.) (Masonry) To support and steady a stone.