n.
- each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided.
- a period of three months, used especially in reference to financial transactions.
▸chiefly US each of four terms into which a school or university year may be divided.
- a quarter-hour.
-
(quarters)
the haunches or hindquarters of a horse.
- a US or Canadian coin worth 25 cents.
- one fourth of a pound weight (avoirdupois, equal to 4 ounces).
▸one fourth of a hundredweight (Brit. 28 lb or US 25 lb).
▸Brit. a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels.
- a part of a town or city with a specific character or use.
- the direction of one of the points of the compass.
- either side of a ship aft of the beam.
- a person, group, area, etc. regarded as the source of something:
help from an unexpected quarter.
-
(quarters)
rooms or lodgings.
- (in combat) pity or mercy.
- Heraldry each of four or more roughly equal divisions of a shield.
▸a square charge covering the top left quarter of the field.
v.
- divide into quarters.
▸historical cut the body of (an executed person) into four parts.
-
(be quartered)
be stationed or lodged.
- range over (an area) in all directions.
- Heraldry display (different coats of arms) in quarters of a shield.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. quartier, from L. quartarius ‘fourth part of a measure’, from quartus ‘fourth’, from quattuor ‘four’.