View synonyms for quarter

quarter

[ kwawr-ter ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

one of the four equal or equivalent parts into which anything is or may be divided:
a quarter of an apple; a quarter of a book.
a fourth part, especially of one (¼).
one fourth of a U.S. or Canadian dollar, equivalent to 25 cents.
a coin of this value.
one fourth of an hour:
He stayed there for an hour and a quarter.
the moment marking this period:
The clock struck the quarter.
one fourth of a calendar or fiscal year:
The bank sends out a statement each quarter.
Astronomy.
1. a fourth of the moon's period or monthly revolution, being that portion of its period or orbital course between a quadrature and a syzygy.
2. either quadrature of the moon. Compare first quarter, last quarter.
(in schools, colleges, and universities) one of the terms or periods into which instruction is organized, generally 10 to 12 weeks in length.
Sports. any of the four periods that make up certain games, as football and basketball. Compare half ( def 3 ).
one fourth of a pound.
one fourth of a mile; two furlongs.
one fourth of a yard; 9 inches.
a unit of weight: one fourth of a hundredweight. In the U.S. this equals 25 pounds and in Britain 28 pounds.
British. a measure of capacity for grain, etc., equal to 8 bushels, or, locally, to approximately this.
the region of any of the four principal points of the compass or divisions of the horizon.
such a point or division.
any point or direction of the compass:
The wind is blowing in that quarter.
a region, district, or place.
a particular district of a city or town, especially one generally occupied by a particular group of people:
the Turkish quarter; an artists' quarter.
Usually quarters.
1. housing accommodations, as a place of residence; lodgings.
2. Military. the buildings, houses, barracks, or rooms occupied by military personnel or their families.
Often quarters. an unspecified part or member of a community, government, etc., that serves as a source of information or authority:
He received secret information from a high quarter.
mercy or indulgence, especially as shown in sparing the life and accepting the surrender of a vanquished enemy:
to give quarter; to ask for quarter.
one of the four parts, each including a leg, of the body or carcass of a quadruped.
Veterinary Medicine. the part of a horse's hoof between heel and toe.
Shoemaking. the part of a boot or shoe on each side of the foot, from the middle of the back to the vamp.
Nautical.
1. the after part of a ship's side, usually from about the aftermost mast to the stern.
2. the general horizontal direction 45° from the stern of a ship on either side:
  Another boat is coming near on the port quarter.
3. one of the stations to which crew members are called for battle, emergencies, or drills.
4. the part of a yard between the slings and the yardarm.
5. quarter point.
Heraldry.
1. any of the four equal areas into which an escutcheon may be divided by a vertical and a horizontal line passing through the center.
2. any of the variously numbered areas into which an escutcheon may be divided for the marshaling of different arms.
3. any of the arms marshaled on an escutcheon.
4. a charge occupying one quarter of an escutcheon, especially that in dexter chief. Compare canton ( def 3 ).
each half of a cask, consisting of the portion from the bilge to the top chime and the portion from the bilge to the bottom chime.

verb (used with object)

to divide into four equal or equivalent parts.
to divide into parts fewer or more than four:
Quarter the pie into six pieces.
to cut the body of (a person) into quarters, especially in executing for treason or the like.
Machinery. to make holes in, fix, etc., a quarter of a circle apart.
to furnish with lodging in a particular place.
to impose (soldiers) on persons, towns, etc., to be lodged and fed:
He quartered his men with the farmer.
to assign to a particular place for service, action, etc., as on a battleship.
to traverse (the ground) from left to right and right to left while advancing, as dogs in search of game.
Heraldry.
1. to divide (an escutcheon) into four or more parts.
2. to place or bear quarterly (different coats of arms, etc.) on an escutcheon.
3. to display (a coat of arms) with one's own on an escutcheon.

verb (used without object)

to take up, or be in quarters; lodge:
to quarter in a cheap hotel.
to range to and fro, as dogs in search of game.
Nautical. to sail so as to have the wind or sea on the quarter.

adjective

being one of four equal or approximately equal parts into which anything is or may be divided.
being equal to only about one fourth of the full measure.

quarter

/ ˈkwɔːtə /

noun

one of four equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, amount, etc
Also calledfourth the fraction equal to one divided by four ( 1 4 )
a quarter of a dollar; 25-cent piece
a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight. 1 US quarter is equal to 25 pounds; 1 Brit quarter is equal to 28 pounds
short for quarter-hour
a fourth part of a year; three months
astronomy
1. one fourth of the moon's period of revolution around the earth
2. either of two phases of the moon, first quarter or last quarter when half of the lighted surface is visible from the earth
informal.
a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a pound or 4 ounces
a unit of capacity for grain, etc, usually equal to 8 UK bushels
sport one of the four periods into which certain games are divided
nautical the part of a vessel's side towards the stern, usually aft of the aftermost mast
the port quarter
nautical the general direction along the water in the quadrant between the beam of a vessel and its stern
the wind was from the port quarter
a region or district of a town or city
the Spanish quarter
a region, direction, or point of the compass
sometimes plural an unspecified person or group of people
to get word from the highest quarter
mercy or pity, as shown to a defeated opponent (esp in the phrases ask for or give quarter )
any of the four limbs, including the adjacent parts, of the carcass of a quadruped or bird
a hind quarter of beef
vet science the side part of the wall of a horse's hoof
the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp
heraldry one of four more or less equal quadrants into which a shield may be divided
slang.
military short for quartermaster

verb

tr to divide into four equal or nearly equal parts
tr to divide into any number of parts
tr (esp formerly) to dismember (a human body)
to be drawn and quartered
to billet or be billeted in lodgings, esp (of military personnel) in civilian lodgings
intr (of gun dogs or hounds) to range over an area of ground in search of game or the scent of quarry
intr nautical (of the wind) to blow onto a vessel's quarter
the wind began to quarter
tr heraldry
1. to divide (a shield) into four separate bearings with a cross
2. to place (one set of arms) in diagonally opposite quarters to another

adjective

being or consisting of one of four equal parts
a quarter pound of butter

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Other Words From

quarter·er noun
half-quarter adjective
inter·quarter noun
outquarters noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of quarter¹

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French quartier < Latin quartārius, equivalent to quart ( us ) fourth + -ārius -ary; (v.) Middle English quarteren, derivative of the noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of quarter¹

C13: from Old French quartier, from Latin quartārius a fourth part, from quartus fourth

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Idioms and Phrases

see at close quarters ; draw and quarter .

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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