Part 750

P. Fletcher.

2. (Mus.) A medley improvised by several performers.

Quod`lib*e*ta"ri*an (- lb**t"r*an), n. One who discusses any subject at pleasure.

Quod`li*bet"ic*al (- l*bt"*kal), a. Not restricted to a particular subject; discussed for curiosity or entertainment. -- Quod`li*bet"ic*al*ly, adv.

Quoif (kwoif or koif), n. & v. t. See Coif. Shak.

Quoif"fure (kwoif"fr or koif"-), n. See Coiffure.

Quoil (kwoil or koil), n. See Coil. [Obs.]

Quoin (kwoin or koin; 277), n. [See Coin, and cf. Coigne.] 1. (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.

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.

2. A wedgelike piece of stone, wood, metal, or other material, used for various purposes; as: (a) (Masonry) To support and steady a stone. (b) (Gun.) To support the breech of a cannon. (c) (Print.) To wedge or lock up a form within a chase. (d) (Naut.) To prevent casks from rolling.

Hollow quoin. See under Hollow. - - Quoin post (Canals), the post of a lock gate which abuts against the wall.

Quoit (kwoit or koit), n. [OE. coite; cf. OF. coitier to spur, press, (assumed) LL. coctare, fr. L. coquere, coctum, to cook, burn, vex, harass, E. cook, also W. coeten a quoit.] 1. (a) A flattened ring-shaped piece of iron, to be pitched at a fixed object in play; hence, any heavy flat missile used for the same purpose, as a stone, piece of iron, etc. (b) pl. A game played with quoits. Shak.

2. The discus of the ancients. See Discus.

3. A cromlech. [Prov. Eng.] J. Morley.

Quoit, v. i. To throw quoits; to play at quoits.

To quoit, to run, and steeds and chariots drive.

Dryden.

Quoit, v. t. To throw; to pitch. [Obs. or R.] Shak.

Quoke (kwk), obs. imp. of Quake. Chaucer.

Quoll (kwl), n. (Zoˆl.) A marsupial of Australia (Dasyurus macrurus), about the size of a cat.

Quon"dam (kwn"dm), a. [L., formerly.] Having been formerly; former; sometime. "This is the quondam king." Shak.

Quon"dam, n. A person dismissed or ejected from a position. [R.] "Make them quondams; . . . cast them out of their office." Latimer.

Quook (kwk), imp. of Quake. [Obs.] Spenser.

Quop (kwp), v. i. See Quob.

Quo"rum (kw"rm), n. [L., of whom, gen. pl. of qui who, akin to E. who. See the Note below.] Such a number of the officers or members of any body as is competent by law or constitution to transact business; as, a quorum of the House of Representatives; a constitutional quorum was not present.

The term arose from the Latin words, Quorum aliquem vestrum . . . unum esse volumus (of whom we wish some one of you to be one), which were used in the commission formerly issued to justices of the peace in England, by which commission it was directed that no business of certain kinds should be done without the presence of one or more of certain justices specially designated. Justice of the peace and of the quorum designates a class of justices of the peace in some of the United States.

Quo"ta (kw"t), n. [LL., fr. L. quota (sc. pars), fr. quotus which or what in number, of what number, how many, fr. quot how many, akin to quis, qui, who: cf. It. quota a share. See Who.] A proportional part or share; the share or proportion assigned to each in a division. "Quota of troops and money." Motley.

Quot"a*ble (kwt"*b'l), a. Capable or worthy of being quoted; as, a quotable writer; a quotable sentence.