Dictionary: QUEEN-MOTH-ER – QUER'CIT-RON

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QUEEN-MOTH-ER, n.

A queen dowager, who is also mother of the reigning king or queen.

QUEEN-POST, n.

In architecture, an upright post in a roof for suspending the beam when the principal rafters do not meet in the ridge.

QUEER, a. [G. quer, cross, oblique, traverse; querkopf, a queer fellow; querlen, to twirl. The primary sense is probably to turn.]

Odd; singular; hence, whimsical. Spectator.

QUEER-LY, adv.

In an odd or singular manner.

QUEER-NESS, n.

Oddity; singularity; particularity. [A familiar, not an elegant word.]

QUEEST, n.

A ring dove, a species of pigeon. Chalmers.

QUEINT, pret.

and pp. of Quench. Gower.

QUELL, n.

Murder. [Not in use.] Shak.

QUELL, v.i.

To die; to abate. Spenser.

QUELL, v.t. [Sax. cwellan, to kill; Dan. qvæler, to stifle, suffocate, choke, stop, quell, gall, tease, torment, vex; Sw. qvälja, id.; G. quälen. The primary sense is to stop, to press or force down, and thus cause action or motion to cease.]

  1. To crush; to subdue; to cause to cease; as, to quell an insurrection or sedition.
  2. To quiet; to allay; to reduce to peace; as, to quell the tumult of the soul.
  3. To subdue; to reduce. This quell'd her pride. Dryden.

QUELL'ED, pp.

Crushed; subdued; quieted.

QUELL'ER, n.

One that crushes or subdues. Shak.

QUELL'ING, ppr.

Crushing; subduing; reducing to peace.

QUELQUE-CHOSE, n. keck-shows. [Fr. something.]

A trifle; a kickshaw. Donne.

QUEME, v.t. [Sax. cweman.]

To please. [Obs.] Spenser.

QUENCH, v.i.

To cool; to become cool. Dost thou think, in time She will not quench? [Not in use.] Shak.

QUENCH, v.t. [Sax. cwencan.]

  1. To extinguish; to put out; as, to quench flame.
  2. To still; to quiet; to repress; as, to quench a passion or emotion. Shak.
  3. To allay or extinguish; as, to quench thirst.
  4. To destroy. Davies.
  5. To check; to stifle; as, to quench the Spirit. I Thess. v.

QUENCH'A-BLE, a.

That may be quenched or extinguished. Sherwood.

QUENCH'ED, pp.

Extinguished; allayed; repressed.

QUENCH'ER, n.

He or that which extinguishes.

QUENCH'ING, ppr.

Extinguishing; quieting; stifling; repressing.

QUENCH'LESS, a.

That can not be quenched or repressed; inextinguishable; as, quenchless fire or fury. Shak. Crashaw.

QUENCH'LESS-LY, adv.

In a quenchless manner.

QUENCH'LESS-NESS, n.

State of being quenchless.

QUER'CIT-RON, n. [L. quercus, an oak, and citrina, lemon-colored, a name imposed by Dr. Edward Bancroft.]

  1. The Quercus tinctoria, black oak, or dyer's oak, which grows from Canada to Georgia, and west to the Mississippi. It frequently attains the height of 70 or 80 feet, and is one of the largest trees of the American forest.
  2. The bark of Quercus tinctoria, a valuable article in dyeing and calico printing, first brought before the public by Dr. Bancroft. Although this oak affords a yellow color yet it is not the yellow oak, that name being commonly applied to Quercus Castanea.