Part 745

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Quire (kwr), n. [OE. quaer, quair, OF. quayer, cayer, caÔer, F. cahier, a book of loose sheets, a quarter of a quire, LL. quaternus, quaternum, sheets of paper packed together, properly, four together, fr. L. quaterni four each, by fours, quattuor four. See Four, and cf. Cahier.] 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.

Quir"is*ter (kwr"s*tr), n. [See Quire, Chorister.] A chorister. See Chorister. [R.] Thomson.

Quir`i*ta"tion (kwr`*t"shn), n. [L. quiritatio, fr. quiritare to raise a plaintive cry, v. freq. fr. queri to complain.] A crying for help. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Qui"rite (kw"rt), n. One of the Quirites.

||Qui*ri"tes (kw*r"tz), n. pl. [L., fr. Cures, a Sabine town.] (Rom. ||Antiq.) Roman citizens.

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 (kwrk), n. [Written also querk.] [Cf. W. chwiori to turn briskly, or E. queer.] 1. 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.

2. A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice. [Obs.] "Quirks of joy and grief." Shak.

3. A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.

Some odd quirks and remnants of wit.

Shak.

4. An irregular air; as, light quirks of music. Pope.

5. (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.

6. (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.

Quirked (kwrkt), a. Having, or formed with, a quirk or quirks.

Quirk"ish (kwrk"sh), a. Consisting of quirks; resembling a quirk. Barrow.

Quirk"y (-), a. Full of quirks; tricky; as, a quirky lawyer.

Quirl (kwrl), n. & v. See Querl.

Quir"pele (kwr"pl), n. [Tamil krippiai.] (Zoˆl.) The Indian ferret.

Quirt (kwrt), n. A rawhide whip plaited with two thongs of buffalo hide. T. Roosevelt.

Quish (kwsh), n. See Cuish.

Quit (kwt), n. (Zoˆl.) Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit, under Banana, and Guitguit.

Quit (kwt), a. [OE. quite, OF. quite, F. quitte. See Quit, v., Quiet.] Released from obligation, charge, penalty, etc.; free; clear; absolved; acquitted. Chaucer.

The owner of the ox shall be quit.