Emily Dickinson Lexicon

QUAM'O-CLIT, n.

A plant of the genus Ipomœa. – Fam. of Plants.

QUAN'DA-RY, n.

Doubt; uncertainty; a state of difficulty or perplexity.

QUAN'DA-RY, v.t.

To bring into a state of uncertainty or difficulty. [Not used.] – Otway.

QUAN'TI-TA-TIVE, a. [See Quantity.]

Estimable according to quantity. – Taylor.

QUAN'TI-TIVE, a. [See Quantity.]

Estimable according to quantity. – Digby.

QUAN'TI-TIVE-LY, adv.

So as to be measurable by quantity.

QUAN'TI-TY, n. [Fr. quantité; It. quantità; Sp. cantidad; from L. quantitas, from quantus, how much, or as much as; Pers. چَندْ‎‎ chand, how much; چندي chandi, quantity.]

1. That property of any thing which may be increased or diminished. – Cheyne. Johnson. This definition is defective, and as applicable to many other properties as to quantity. A definition strictly philosophical can not be given. In common usage, quantity is a mass or collection of matter of indeterminate dimensions, but consisting of particles which can not be distinguished, or which are not customarily distinguished, or which are considered in the aggregate. Thus we say, a quantity of earth, a quantity of water, a quantity of air, of light, of heat, of iron, of wood, of timber, of corn, of paper. But we do not say, a quantity of men, or of horses, or of houses; for as these are considered as separate individuals or beings, we call an assemblage of them, a number or multitude.
2. An indefinite extent of space.
3. A portion or part. If I were sawed into quantities. [Not in use.] – Shak.
4. A large portion; as, a medicine taken in quantities, that is, in large quantities. – Arbuthnot.
5. In mathematics, any thing which can be multiplied, divided or measured. – Day. Thus mathematics is called the science of quantity. In algebra, quantities are known and unknown. Known quantities are usually represented by the first letters of the alphabet, as a, b, c, and unknown quantities are expressed by the last letters, x, y, z, &c. Letters thus used to represent quantities are themselves called quantities. A simple quantity is expressed by one term, as +a, or -abc; a compound is expressed by more terms than one, connected by the signs, + plus, or - minus, as a + b, or a - b + c. Quantities which have the sign + prefixed, are called positive or affirmative; those which have the sign - prefixed, are called negative. – Day's Algebra.
6. In grammar, the measure of a syllable; that which determines the time in which it is pronounced. – Holder. Encyc.
7. In logic, a category, universal, or predicament; a general conception. – Bailey. Encyc.
8. In music, the relative duration of a note or syllable. – Busby. Quantity of matter, in a body, is the measure arising from the joint consideration of its magnitude and density. – Bailey. Quantity of motion, in a body, is the measure arising from the joint consideration of its quantity of matter and its velocity. – Bailey.

QUAN'TUM, n. [L.]

The quantity; the amount. Quantum meruit. In law, an action grounded on a promise that the defendant would pay to the plaintif for his service as much as he should deserve. Quantum sufficit. Sufficient; as much as is needed. Quantum valebat. An action to recover of the defendant for goods sold, as much as they were worth. – Blackstone.

QUAR'AN-TINE, n. [It. quarantina, forty; Sp. quarentena; Fr. quarantaine; from the root of L. quartus, fourth, Fr. carreau, a square, carrer, to square, Arm. carrea, to square, W. cwar, square, Eng. quart. See Quart and Square.]

1. Properly, the space of forty days; appropriately, the term of forty days during which a ship arriving in port and suspected of being infected with a malignant, contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the city or place. Hence,
2. Restraint of intercourse to which a ship is subjected on the presumption that she may be infected, either for forty days or for any other limited term. It is customary for the proper officers to determine the period of restraint at their discretion, according to circumstances. Hence we hear of a quarantine of five days, of ten, of thirty, &c. as well as of forty. We say, a ship performs quarantine, or rides at quarantine. We also apply the word to persons. The passengers and crew perform quarantine.
3. In law, the period of forty days, during which the widow of a man dying seized of land, has the privilege of remaining in the mansion house.

QUAR'AN-TINE, v.t.

To prohibit from intercourse with a city or its inhabitants; to compel to remain at a distance from shore for forty days, or for other limited period, on account of real or supposed infection; applied to ships, or to persons and goods.

QUAR'AN-TIN-ED, pp.

Restrained from communication with the shore for a limited period; as a ship or its crew and passengers.

QUAR'AN-TIN-ING, ppr.

Prohibiting from intercourse with the port; as a ship or its crew and passengers.

QUARRE, n. [or v. For Quarry, not in use.]

QUAR'REL, n.¹ [W. cweryl; Fr. querelle; L. and It. querela; Sp. querella or queja; Arm. qarell; L. queror, to complain, that is, to cry out with a loud voice. Hence we see the primary sense is the same as brawl. The L. queror coincides in elements with the Ir. gairim, to call, to bawl, to shout, and gearan, a complaint; Sax. ceorian, to complain or murmur; G. girren and kirren; D. kirren and korren; Dan. kerrer. The latter signifies to complain, to expostulate, and kerrer sig efter, to care, or take heed of, a sense which would unite the word with the L. curo, cura; and in Saxon, cearig signifies complaining, and careful, solicitous; Heb. Ch. Syr. and Ar. קרא. Class Gr, No. 49, and see No. 1, 2, 14, 15, 19, 23.]

1. A brawl; a petty fight or scuffle; from its noise and uproar. – Shak.
2. A dispute; a contest. On open seas their quarrels they debate. – Dryden.
3. A breach of friendship or concord; open variance between parties. – Hammond.
4. Cause of dispute. The king's quarrel is honorable. – Shak.
5. Something that gives a right to mischief, reprisal or action. He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him. [Not used.] – Holingshead.
6. Objection; ill will, or reason to complain; ground of objection or dispute. Herodias had a quarrel against him. – Mark vi.
7. Something peevish, malicious, or disposed to make trouble. [Not used.] – Shak.

QUAR'REL, n.² [W. çwarel, a dart or javelin, a kernel; çwarelu, to dart, to kern, to curdle; from çwar, a quick rise, a puff; Fr. carreau, a bolt. The primary sense is to shoot, throw or drive.]

1. An arrow with a square head. [Not used unless in poetry.] – Camden.
2. A pane of glass; a square. [See Quarry and Square.]

QUAR'REL, v.i. [Fr. quereller. See the noun.]

1. To dispute violently or with loud and angry words; to wrangle; to scold. How odious to see husband and wife quarrel!
2. To fight; to scuffle; to contend; to squabble; used of two persons or of a small number. It is never used of armies and navies in combat. Children and servants often quarrel about trifles. Tavern-hunters sometimes quarrel over their cups.
3. To fall into variance. Our people quarrel with obedience. – Shak.
4. To find fault; to cavil. I will not quarrel with a slight mistake. – Roscommon. Men at enmity with their God, quarreling with his attributes – quarreling with the Being that made them, and who is constantly doing them good. – Eliph. Steele.
5. To disagree; to be at variance; not to be in accordance in form or essence. Some things arise of strange and quarr'ling kind, / The forepart lion, and a snake behind. – Cowley.

QUAR'REL, v.t.

1. To quarrel with. – B. Jonson.
2. To compel by a quarrel; as, to quarrel a man out of his estate or rights.

QUAR'REL-ER, n.

One who quarrels, wrangles or fights.

QUAR'REL-ING, n. [supra.]

Contention; dispute in angry words; breach of concord; a caviling or finding fault; disagreement.

QUAR'REL-ING, ppr.

Disputing with vehemence or loud angry words; scolding; wrangling; fighting; finding fault; disagreeing.

QUAR'REL-OUS, a.

Apt or disposed to quarrel; petulant; easily provoked to enmity or contention. [Little used.] – Shak.

QUAR'REL-SOME, a.

Apt to quarrel; given to brawls and contention; inclined to petty fighting; easily irritated or provoked to contest; irascible; choleric; petulant. – Bacon.

QUAR'REL-SOME-LY, adv.

In a quarrelsome manner; with a quarrelsome temper; petulantly.

QUAR'REL-SOME-NESS, n.

Disposition to engage in contention and brawls; petulance.

QUAR'RI-ED, pp.

Dug from a pit or cavern.