Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter Q - Page 10

Quip (v. i.) To scoff; to use taunts.

Quipo (n.) Same as Quipu.

Quipus (pl. ) of Quipu

Quipu (n.) A contrivance employed by the ancient Peruvians, Mexicans, etc., as a substitute for writing and figures, consisting of a main cord, from which hung at certain distances smaller cords of various colors, each having a special meaning, as silver, gold, corn, soldiers. etc. Single, double, and triple knots were tied in the smaller cords, representing definite numbers. It was chiefly used for arithmetical purposes, and to register important facts and events.

Quirboilly (n.) Leather softened by boiling so as to take any required shape. Upon drying, it becomes exceedingly hard, and hence was formerly used for armor.

Quire (n.) See Choir.

Quire (v. i.) To sing in concert.

Quire (n.) 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.

Quirister (n.) A chorister. See Chorister.

Quiritation (n.) A crying for help.

Quirite (n.) One of the Quirites.

Quirites (n. pl.) Roman citizens.

Quirk (n.) 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.

Quirk (n.) A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice.

Quirk (n.) A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.

Quirk (n.) An irregular air; as, light quirks of music.

Quirk (n.) A piece of ground taken out of any regular ground plot or floor, so as to make a court, yard, etc.; -- sometimes written quink.

Quirk (n.) A small channel, deeply recessed in proportion to its width, used to insulate and give relief to a convex rounded molding.

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

Quirkish (a.) Consisting of quirks; resembling a quirk.

Quirky (a.) Full of quirks; tricky; as, a quirky lawyer.

Quirl (n. & v.) See Querl.

Quirpele (n.) The Indian ferret.

Quirt (n.) A rawhide whip plaited with two thongs of buffalo hide.

Quish (n.) See Cuish.

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

Quit (v.) Released from obligation, charge, penalty, etc.; free; clear; absolved; acquitted.

Quit (imp. & p. p.) of Quit

Quitted () of Quit

Quitting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quit

Quit (a.) To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate.

Quit (a.) To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, or the like; to absolve; to acquit.

Quit (a.) To discharge, as an obligation or duty; to meet and satisfy, as a claim or debt; to make payment for or of; to requite; to repay.

Quit (a.) To meet the claims upon, or expectations entertained of; to conduct; to acquit; -- used reflexively.

Quit (a.) To carry through; to go through to the end.

Quit (a.) To have done with; to cease from; to stop; hence, to depart from; to leave; to forsake; as, to quit work; to quit the place; to quit jesting.

Quit (v. i.) To away; to depart; to stop doing a thing; to cease.

Quitch (n.) Same as Quitch grass.

Quitch (n.) Figuratively: A vice; a taint; an evil.

Quitch grass () A perennial grass (Agropyrum repens) having long running rootstalks, by which it spreads rapidly and pertinaciously, and so becomes a troublesome weed. Also called couch grass, quick grass, quick grass, twitch grass. See Illustration in Appendix.

Quitclaim (n.) 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 by himself or another, is released or relinquished, the grantor generally covenanting only against persons who claim under himself.

Quitclaimed (imp. & p. p.) of Quitclaim

Quitclaiming (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quitclaim

Quitclaim (v. t.) To release or relinquish a claim to; to release a claim to by deed, without covenants of warranty against adverse and paramount titles.

Quite (v. t. & i.) See Quit.

Quite (a.) Completely; wholly; entirely; totally; perfectly; as, the work is not quite done; the object is quite accomplished; to be quite mistaken.

Quite (a.) To a great extent or degree; very; very much; considerably.

Quitly (adv.) Quite.

Quitrent (n.) A rent reserved in grants of land, by the payment of which the tenant is quit from other service.

Quits (interj.) See the Note under Quit, a.

Quittable (a.) Capable of being quitted.

Quittal (n.) Return; requital; quittance.

Quittance (v. t.) Discharge from a debt or an obligation; acquittance.

Quittance (v. t.) Recompense; return; repayment.

Quittance (v. t.) To repay; to requite.

Quitter (n.) One who quits.

Quitter (n.) A deliverer.

Quittor (n.) A chronic abscess, or fistula of the coronet, in a horse's foot, resulting from inflammation of the tissues investing the coffin bone.

Quitture (n.) A discharge; an issue.

Quiver (a.) Nimble; active.

Quivered (imp. & p. p.) of Quiver

Quivering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quiver

Quiver (v. i.) To shake or move with slight and tremulous motion; to tremble; to quake; to shudder; to shiver.

Quiver (n.) The act or state of quivering; a tremor.

Quiver (n.) A case or sheath for arrows to be carried on the person.

Quivered (a.) Furnished with, or carrying, a quiver.

Quivered (a.) Sheathed, as in a quiver.

Quiveringly (adv.) With quivering motion.

Qui vive () The challenge of a French sentinel, or patrol; -- used like the English challenge: "Who comes there?"

Quixotic (a.) Like Don Quixote; romantic to extravagance; absurdly chivalric; apt to be deluded.

Quixotically (adv.) In a quixotic way.

Quixotism (n.) That form of delusion which leads to extravagant and absurd undertakings or sacrifices in obedience to a morbidly romantic ideal of duty or honor, as illustrated by the exploits of Don Quixote in knight-errantry.

Quixotry (n.) Quixotism; visionary schemes.

Quiz (n.) A riddle or obscure question; an enigma; a ridiculous hoax.

Quiz (n.) One who quizzes others; as, he is a great quiz.

Quiz (n.) An odd or absurd fellow.

Quiz (n.) An exercise, or a course of exercises, conducted as a coaching or as an examination.

Quizzed (imp. & p. p.) of Quiz

Quizzing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Quiz

Quiz (v. t.) To puzzle; to banter; to chaff or mock with pretended seriousness of discourse; to make sport of, as by obscure questions.

Quiz (v. t.) To peer at; to eye suspiciously or mockingly.

Quiz (v. t.) To instruct in or by a quiz. See Quiz, n., 4.

Quiz (v. i.) To conduct a quiz. See Quiz, n., 4.

Quizzer (n.) One who quizzes; a quiz.

Quizzical (a.) Relating to quizzing: given to quizzing; of the nature of a quiz; farcical; sportive.

Quizzism (n.) The act or habit of quizzing.

Quob (v. i.) To throb; to quiver.

Quod (n.) A quadrangle or court, as of a prison; hence, a prison.

Quod (v.) Quoth; said. See Quoth.

Quoddies (n. pl.) Herring taken and cured or smoked near Quoddy Head, Maine, or near the entrance of Passamaquoddy Ray.

Quodlibet (n.) A nice point; a subtilty; a debatable point.

Quodlibet (n.) A medley improvised by several performers.

Quodlibetarian (n.) One who discusses any subject at pleasure.

Quodlibetical (a.) Not restricted to a particular subject; discussed for curiosity or entertainment.

Quoif (n. & v. t.) See Coif.

Quoifffure (n.) See Coiffure.

Quoil (n.) See Coil.

Quoin (n.) Originally, a solid exterior angle, as of a building; now, commonly, one of the selected pieces of material by which the corner is marked.

Quoin (n.) A wedgelike piece of stone, wood metal, or other material, used for various purposes

Quoin (n.) to support and steady a stone.

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