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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section P and Q · Project Gutenberg — chapter 722 of 752 · ~754 words · public domain

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Quar"tile (?), n. [F. quartile aspect, fr. L. quartus the fourth. See Quart.] (Astrol.) Same as Quadrate.

Quar"tine (?), n. [F., fr. L. quartus the fourth.] (Bot.) A supposed fourth integument of an ovule, counting from the outside.

Quar"to (?), a. [L. in quarto in fourth, from quartus the fourth: cf. F. (in) quarto. See Quart.] Having four leaves to the sheet; of the form or size of a quarto.

Quar"to, n.; pl. Quartos (&?;). Originally, a book of the size of the fourth of sheet of printing paper; a size leaves; in present usage, a book of a square or nearly square form, and usually of large size.

Quar"tridge (?), n. Quarterage. [Obs.]

Quartz (?), n. [G. quarz.] (Min.) A form of silica, or silicon dioxide (SiO2), occurring in hexagonal crystals, which are commonly colorless and transparent, but sometimes also yellow, brown, purple, green, and of other colors; also in cryptocrystalline massive forms varying in color and degree of transparency, being sometimes opaque.

The crystalline varieties include: amethyst, violet; citrine and false topaz, pale yellow; rock crystal, transparent and colorless or nearly so; rose quartz, rosecolored; smoky quartz, smoky brown. The chief crypto-crystalline varieties are: agate, a chalcedony in layers or clouded with different colors, including the onyx and sardonyx; carnelian and sard, red or flesh- colored chalcedony; chalcedony, nearly white, and waxy in luster; chrysoprase, an apple-green chalcedony; flint, hornstone, basanite, or touchstone, brown to black in color and compact in texture; heliotrope, green dotted with red; jasper, opaque, red yellow, or brown, colored by iron or ferruginous clay; prase, translucent and dull leek-green. Quartz is an essential constituent of granite, and abounds in rocks of all ages. It forms the rocks quartzite (quartz rock) and sandstone, and makes most of the sand of the seashore.

Quartz*if"er*ous (?), a. [Quartz + -ferous.] (Min.) Consisting chiefly of quartz; containing quartz.

Quartz"ite (?), n. [Cf. F. quartzite.] (Min.) Massive quartz occurring as a rock; a metamorphosed sandstone; -- called also quartz rock.

Quartz"oid (?), n. [Quartz + - oid.] (Crystallog.) A form of crystal common with quartz, consisting of two six-sided pyramids, base to base.

Quartz"ose` (?), a. [Cf. F. quartzeux, G. quarzig.] (Min.) Containing, or resembling, quartz; partaking of the nature or qualities of quartz.

quartz"ous (?), a. (Min.) Quarzose.

Quartz"y (?), a. (Min.) Quartzose.

Quas (?), n. A kind of beer. Same as Quass.

{ Quas"chi (?), Quas"je (?) }, n. (Zoˆl.) The brown coati. See Coati.

Quash (?), n. Same as Squash.

Quash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quashed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Quashing.] [OF. quasser, F. casser, fr. L. cassare to annihilate, annul, fr. cassus empty, vain, of uncertain origin. The word has been confused with L. quassare to shake, F. casser to break, which is probably of different origin. Cf. Cashier, v. t.] (Law) To abate, annul, overthrow, or make void; as, to quash an indictment. Blackstone.

Quash, v. t. [OF. quasser, F. casser, fr. L. quassare to shake, shatter, shiver, v. intens. fr. quatere, quassum, to shake, shatter. Cf. Concussion, Discuss, Rescue, and also Quash to annul.] 1. To beat down, or beat in pieces; to dash forcibly; to crush.

The whales Against sharp rocks, like reeling vessels, quashed, Though huge as mountains, are in pieces dashed.

Waller.

2. To crush; to subdue; to suppress or extinguish summarily and completely; as, to quash a rebellion.

Contrition is apt to quash or allay all worldly grief.

Barrow.

Quash, v. i. To be shaken, or dashed about, with noise.

Quash"ee (?), n. A negro of the West Indies.

Qua"si (?). [L.] As if; as though; as it were; in a manner sense or degree; having some resemblance to; qualified; -- used as an adjective, or a prefix with a noun or an adjective; as, a quasi contract, an implied contract, an obligation which has arisen from some act, as if from a contract; a quasi corporation, a body that has some, but not all, of the peculiar attributes of a corporation; a quasi argument, that which resembles, or is used as, an argument; quasi historical, apparently historical, seeming to be historical.

Quas`i*mo"do (?), n. [So called from the first words of the Latin introit, quasi modo geniti infantes as newborn babes, 1 Pet. ii. 2.] (R. C. Ch.) The first Sunday after Easter; Low Sunday.

Quass (?), n. [Russ. kvas'.] A thin, sour beer, made by pouring warm water on rye or barley meal and letting it ferment, -- much used by the Russians. [written also quas.]

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