quarter Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun one of four equal parts
    twenty-five percent; fourth part; one-quarter; quartern; one-fourth; fourth.
    • a quarter of a pound
  2. noun a district of a city having some distinguishing character
    • the Latin Quarter
  3. noun (football, professional basketball) one of four divisions into which some games are divided
    • both teams scored in the first quarter
  4. noun a unit of time equal to 15 minutes or a quarter of an hour
    • it's a quarter til 4
    • a quarter after 4 o'clock
  5. noun one of four periods into which the school year is divided
    • the fall quarter ends at Christmas
  6. noun a fourth part of a year; three months
    • unemployment fell during the last quarter
  7. noun one of the four major division of the compass
    • the wind is coming from that quarter
  8. noun a quarter of a hundredweight (25 pounds)
  9. noun a quarter of a hundredweight (28 pounds)
  10. noun a United States or Canadian coin worth one fourth of a dollar
    • he fed four quarters into the slot machine
  11. noun an unspecified person
    • he dropped a word in the right quarter
  12. noun the rear part of a ship
    poop; after part; tail; stern.
  13. noun piece of leather that comprises the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp
  14. noun clemency or mercy shown to a defeated opponent
    • he surrendered but asked for quarter
  15. verb provide housing for (military personnel)
    billet; canton.
  16. verb pull (a person) apart with four horses tied to his extremities, so as to execute him
    draw; draw and quarter.
    • in the old days, people were drawn and quartered for certain crimes
  17. verb divide into quarters
    • quarter an apple
  18. verb divide by four; divide into quarters

WordNet

Quar"ter noun
Etymology
F. quartier, L. quartarius a fourth part, fr. quartus the fourth. See Quart.
Definitions
  1. One of four equal parts into which anything is divided, or is regarded as divided; a fourth part or portion; as, a quarter of a dollar, of a pound, of a yard, of an hour, etc. Hence, specifically: (a) The fourth of a hundred-weight, being 25 or 28 pounds, according as the hundredweight is reckoned at 100 or 112 pounds. (b) The fourth of a ton in weight, or eight bushels of grain; as, a quarter of wheat; also, the fourth part of a chaldron of coal. Hutton. (c) (Astron.) The fourth part of the moon's period, or monthly revolution; as, the first quarter after the change or full. (d) One limb of a quadruped with the adjacent parts; one fourth part of the carcass of a slaughtered animal, including a leg; as, the fore quarters; the hind quarters. (e) That part of a boot or shoe which forms the side, from the heel to the vamp. (f) (Far.) That part on either side of a horse's hoof between the toe and heel, being the side of the coffin. (g) A term of study in a seminary, college, etc, etc.; properly, a fourth part of the year, but often longer or shorter. (h) pl. (Mil.) The encampment on one of the principal passages round a place besieged, to prevent relief and intercept convoys. (i) (Naut.) The after-part of a vessel's side, generally corresponding in extent with the quarter-deck; also, the part of the yardarm outside of the slings. (j) (Her.) One of the divisions of an escutcheon when it is divided into four portions by a horizontal and a perpendicular line meeting in the fess point. ✍ When two coats of arms are united upon one escutcheon, as in case of marriage, the first and fourth quarters display one shield, the second and third the other. See Quarter, v. t., 5. (k) One of the four parts into which the horizon is regarded as divided; a cardinal point; a direction' principal division; a region; a territory.
    Scouts each coast light-armed scour, Each quarter, to descry the distant foe. Milton.
    (l) A division of a town, city, or county; a particular district; a locality; as, the Latin quarter in Paris. (m) (Arch.) A small upright timber post, used in partitions; -- in the United States more commonly called stud. (n) (Naut.) The fourth part of the distance from one point of the compass to another, being the fourth part of 11° 15', that is, about 2° 49'; -- called also quarter point. (o) One fourth of a dollar, i.e. twenty five cents. Also, the twenty-five cent piece. Also called a quarter dollar, and two bits
  2. Proper station; specific place; assigned position; special location.
    Swift to their several quarters hasted then The cumbrous elements. Milton.
    Hence, specifically: (a) (Naut.) A station at which officers and men are posted in battle; -- usually in the plural. (b) Place of lodging or temporary residence; shelter; entertainment; -- usually in the plural.
    The banter turned as to what quarters each would find. W. Irving.
    (c) pl. (Mil.) A station or encampment occupied by troops; a place of lodging for soldiers or officers; as, winter quarters. (d) Treatment shown by an enemy; mercy; especially, the act of sparing the life a conquered enemy; a refraining from pushing one's advantage to extremes.
    He magnified his own clemency, now they were at his mercy, to offer them quarter for their lives. Clarendon.
    Cocks and lambs . . . at the mercy of cats and wolves . . . must never expect better quarter. L'Estrange.
  3. Friendship; amity; concord. Obs. To keep quarter, to keep one's proper place, and so be on good terms with another. Obs.
    In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom. Shak.
    I knew two that were competitors for the secretary's place, . . . and yet kept good quarter between themselves. Bacon.
Quar"ter intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To lodge; to have a temporary residence.
Quar"ter intransitive verb
Etymology
F. cartayer.
Definitions
  1. To drive a carriage so as to prevent the wheels from going into the ruts, or so that a rut shall be between the wheels.
    Every creature that met us would rely on us for quartering. De Quincey.

Webster 1913