Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Quirked, a. p. 1077Having a quirk.Quirk'ish, a. p. 1077Consisting of quirks, turns, quibbles, or artful evasions. Barrow. 2. Resembling a quirk.Quirp'ële, n. p. 1077(Zoöl.) The Indian ferret, an animal of the weasel kind.Quish, n. p. 1077Defensive armor for the thigh; cuish.Quit, v. t. p. 1077To set at rest; to free, as from any thing harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate. [Rare.] To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face. Wake. 2. To release…Quit, a. p. 1077Released from obligation, charge, penalty, or the like; free; clear; absolved. The owner of the ox shall be quit. Ex. xxii. 28. ☞ This word is sometimes used in the form quits, colloquially; as, to…Qui tām, n. p. 1078(Law.) A popular action on a penal statute prosecuted partly at the suit of the government, and partly at that of an informer. Wharton.Quitch or Quitch'-grass, n. p. 1078(Bot.) Dog-grass or couch-grass; a species of grass which roots deeply and is not easily killed. Full seldom does a man repent, or use Both grace and will to pick the vicious quitch Of blood and…Quit’clām, v. t. p. 1078(Law.) To release or relinquish a claim to; to release a claim to by deed, without covenants of warranty against adverse and paramount titles.Quit'claim, n. p. 1078(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…Quite, adv. p. 1078Completely; wholly; entirely; totally; perfectly; as, the work is not quite done; the object is quite accomplished. Man shall not quite be lost. Milton. The same actions may be aimed at different…Quit'rĕnt, n. p. 1078(Law.) A rent reserved in grants of land, by the payment of which the tenant is quieted or quit from all other service. Blackstone. In some of the United States a fee-farm rent is so termed. Burrill.Quĭts p. 1078See QUIT, a.Quit'ta-ble, a. p. 1078Capable of being quitted or vacated. [Rare.] Markland.Quit'tal, n. p. 1078Return; repayment; requital. [Obs.]Quit'tance, n. p. 1078Discharge from a debt or obligation; acquittance. Omittance is no quittance. Shak. 2. Recompense; return; repayment. Shak.Quit'tance, v. t. p. 1078To repay; to requite. [Obs.] Shak.Quit'ter, n. p. 1078One who quits. 2. A deliverer. [Obs.] Ainsworth. 3. Scoria of tin. [Obs.] Ainsworth.Quit'tor, n. p. 1078(Far.) An ulcer formed between the hair and hoof, usually on the inside quarter of a horse’s foot. 2. Matter flowing from a sore or wound. [Obs.]Quittor-bone p. 1078a hard, round swelling upon the coronet, between the heel and the quarter.Quit'türe, n. p. 1078A discharge; an issue. [Obs.] “To cleanse the quitture from thy wound.” Chapman.Quīv'er, n. p. 1078A case or sheath for arrows. Beside him hung his bow And quiver, with three-bolted thunder stored.Quiv'er, a. p. 1078Nimble; active. [Obs.] Shak.Quiv'er, v. i. p. 1078To shake 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.Quiv'ered, a. p. 1078Furnished with a quiver. “Like a quivered nymph with arrows.” Milton. 2. Sheathed, as in a quiver. “Whose quills stand quivered at his ear.” Pope.Quiv'er-ing-ly, adv. p. 1078With quivering.Qui' vīve p. 1078The challenge of a French sentinel, To what party do you belong? i. e., for whom do you cry vive; corresponding to, Who goes there? Hence, to be on the qui vive, to be on the alert, like a sentinel.Quix-ōt'ic, a. p. 1078Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance. “Feats of quixotic gallantry.” Prescott.Quix-ŏt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 1078In a mad or romantic manner.Quix'ot-ism, n. p. 1078Romantic and absurd notions; schemes or actions like those of Don Quixote, the hero of Cervantes.Quix'ot-ry, n. p. 1078Quixotism; visionary scheme.Quiz, n. p. 1078A riddle or obscure question; an enigma. 2. One who quizzes others; as, he is a great quiz. 3. An odd fellow. Smart.Quiz, v. t. p. 1078To puzzle; to run upon; to ridicule or make sport of. He quizzed unmercifully all the men in the room. Thackeray. 2. To look sharply and mockingly at; to peer at; to eye suspiciously.Quiz'zer, n. p. 1078One who quizzes others, or makes them the objects of sport by deceiving them.Quiz'zie-al, a. p. 1078Comical. [Colloq.]Quiz'zing-glāss, n. p. 1078A small eye-glass.Quiz'zism, n. p. 1078The act of one who quizzes; the habit of quizzing.Quōb, v. i. p. 1078To move, as the fetus in utero; to throb; to quiver. [Local and vulgar.]Quōd, v. i. p. 1078Quoth; said. See QUOTH. [Obs.]Quōd'dy, n. p. 1078A kind of scaled herrings, cured in North America by smoking or salting. Simmonds.Quōd'li-bet, n. p. 1078A nice point; a subtlety. These are your quodlibets, but no learning, brother. Fletcher. 2. (Mus.) A medley improvised by several performers.Quōd’lib-e-tā’ri-an, n. p. 1078One who talks and disputes on any subject at pleasure. [Obs.]Quōd'li-bē'tie-al, a. p. 1078Not restricted to a particular subject; moved or discussed at pleasure for curiosity or entertainment. [Obs.]Quŏd'li-bĕt'ie-al-ly, adv. p. 1078At pleasure; for curiosity; so as to be debated for entertainment. [Obs.]Quoif, n. p. 1078A cap or hood; a coif. Shak. In this word, and also in quoit, quote, quotation, and quotient, the u was formerly suppressed in pronunciation.Quoif, v. t. p. 1078To cover or dress with a coif. See COIF.Quoif'fûre, n. p. 1078A head-dress.Quoil, n. p. 1078A coil. See COIL.Quoin, n. p. 1078Any external angle; especially (Arch.), the external angle of a building; sometimes, formerly, vertical angular projections formed on the face of a wall for ornament. Oxf. Gloss. 2. A wedge-like…Quoit, n. p. 1078A circular ring or piece of iron, stone, or other material, to be pitched or thrown at a fixed object in play. 2. The discus of the ancients, thrown in trials of strength.Quoit, v. i. p. 1078To throw quoits; to play at quoits.Quoit, v. t. p. 1078To throw. Quoit him down, Randolph. Shak. 2. To drive away. Ford.Quŏll, n. p. 1078(Zoöl.) A marsupial quadruped of Australia; Dasyurus macrurus. It is nearly the size of a cat.Quōn'dam, a. p. 1078Having been formerly; former. This is the quondam king. Shak.Quōn'dam, n. p. 1078A person formerly in any position, office, &c.; one ejected from a position. [Rare.] Make them quondams; out with them; cast them out of their office. Latimer.Quōok, imp. p. 1078of quake. [Obs.] Spenser.Quōp, v. i. p. 1078See QUOB.Quō'rum, n. p. 1078Such 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…Quō'tā, n. p. 1078A proportional part or share; or the share, part, or proportion assigned to each. “Quota of troops and money.” Mottley.Quōt'a-ble, a. p. 1078Capable or worthy of being quoted or cited.