quarter (n.1) — quietude (n.)
c. 1300, "one-fourth of anything; one of four equal parts or divisions into which anything is or may be divided;" often in reference to the four parts into which a slaughtered animal is cut, from Old French quartier, cartier (12c.), from Latin quartarius "fourth part," from quartus "the fourth, fourth part" (related to quattuor "four," from PIE root *kwetwer- "four"). One of the earliest dated references in English is to "parts of the body as dismembered during execution" (c. 1300).ETD quarter (n.1).2
Used of the phases of the moon from early 15c. The phrase quarter of an hour is attested from mid-15c. In Middle English quarter also meant "one of the four divisions of a 12-hour night" (late 14c.), and the quarter of the night meant "nine o'clock p.m." (early 14c.). As a period of time in a football game, from 1911.ETD quarter (n.1).3
From late 14c. as "one of the four quadrants of the heavens;" hence, from the notion of the winds, "a side, a direction" (c. 1400). In heraldry from mid-14c. as "one of the four divisions of a shield or coat of arms."ETD quarter (n.1).4
Meaning "region, locality, area, place" is from c. 1400. Meaning "distinct portion of a town" (identified by the class or race of people who live there) is first attested 1520s. For military sense, see quarters.ETD quarter (n.1).5
The coin (one fourth of a dollar, originally silver) is peculiar to U.S. and dates to 1783. But quarter could mean "a farthing" (one quarter of a penny) in Middle English (late 14c.), and compare quadrant "a farthing" (c. 1600), and classical Latin quadrans, the name of a coin worth a quarter of an as (the basic unit of Roman currency).ETD quarter (n.1).6
Quarter horse, bred strong for racing on quarter-mile tracks, is recorded by 1834. The word's connection with "four" loosened in Middle English and by 15c. expressions such as six-quartered for "six-sided" are found.ETD quarter (n.1).7
"military dwelling place," 1590s, from quarter (n.1) in sense of "portion of a town." As "part of an American plantation where the slaves live," from 1724. The military sense seems to be also the source of quartermaster and it might be behind the phrase give quarter "spare from immediate death" (1610s, often in the negative), on the notion of "provide a prisoner with shelter;" see quarter (n.2).ETD quarters (n.).2
also quarter-back, U.S. football position, 1876, from quarter (n.1) + back (n.); so called from his position on the field at the start of play, between the halfback and the center.ETD quarterback (n.).2
As a verb, "to play quarterback," by 1945. The figurative sense (the quarterback when on the field typically directed the team's plays) is from 1952. Monday morning quarterback is by 1932 as a noun, "second-guesser of other people's decisions, one who criticizes or passes judgment afterward on how something was done;" by 1972 as a verb; originally pro football player slang for sportswriters (U.S. professional football games typically were played on Sundays).ETD quarterback (n.).3
mid-15c., "day that begins a quarter of the year," designated as days when rents were paid and contracts and leases began or expired, from quarter (n.1). They were, in England, Lady day (March 25), Midsummer day (June 24), Michaelmas day (Sept. 29), and Christmas day (Dec. 25); in Scotland, keeping closer to the pre-Christian Celtic calendar, they were Candlemas (Feb. 2), Whitsunday (May 15), Lammas (Aug. 1), and Martinmas (Nov. 11). Quarter in the sense "period of three months; one of the four divisions of a year" is recorded from late 14c. Related: Quarter days.ETD quarter day (n.).2
1620s, "the part of the spar-deck of a man-of-war between the poop and the main-mast," originally "a smaller deck above the half-deck," covering about a quarter of the vessel [OED], from quarter (n.1).ETD quarter-deck (n.).2
"It is used as a promenade by the officers only" [Century Dictionary], hence the colloquial nautical noun quarter-decker (by 1867) "an officer who is more looked upon as a stickler for small points of etiquette than as a thorough seaman."ETD quarter-deck (n.).3
early 15c., quarterli, "four times a year, once a quarter," from quarter (n.1) + -ly (2). As an adjective from mid-15c., "occupying alternate quarters" (of a coat of arms), with -ly (1). As a noun, "a quarterly publication," from 1830, from the adjective. Earlier the adverb was used in a now-obsolete sense of "into quarters" (c. 1400).ETD quarterly (adv.).2
also quarter-master, early 15c., "subordinate officer of a ship," from French quartier-maître or directly from Dutch kwartier-meester; originally a ship's officer whose duties included stowing of the hold; later (c. 1600) an officer in charge of quarters and rations for troops. See quarters.ETD quartermaster (n.).2
also quarter-staff, 1540s (quarter-stroke "stroke with a quarterstaff" is attested from early 15c.), an old weapon formed from a stout pole, six to eight feet long (six-and-a-half sometimes is given as the standard length), tipped with iron, formerly a weapon characteristic of the English peasantry. From staff (n.); the quarter in it is of uncertain signification. According to one theory, favored by fencing manuals, etc., it likely is in reference to operation of the weapon:ETD quarterstaff (n.).2
Linguists tend to prefer an explanation from woodcutting, perhaps a reference to a cut of lumber known as a quarter, but contemporary evidence is wanting for either conjecture.ETD quarterstaff (n.).3
also quartette, 1773, "musical composition for four solo instruments or voices," from French quartette, from Italian quartetto, diminutive of quarto "fourth," from Latin quartus "the fourth, fourth part" (related to quattuor "four," from PIE root *kwetwer- "four"). Meaning "set of four singers or musical players who perform quartets" is from 1814.ETD quartet (n.).2
mid-15c., originally in astrology and astronomy in the phrase quartile aspect in reference to celestial bodies when 90 degrees apart in longitude; see quartile (adj.). In statistics, from 1879.ETD quartile (n.).2
mid-15c., "90 degrees apart" (of the relative position of two heavenly bodies in astronomical measurements), from Old French quartil, from Medieval Latin quartilus "of a quartile," from Latin quartus "the fourth, fourth part" (related to quattuor "four," from PIE root *kwetwer- "four").ETD quartile (adj.).2
"book from paper folded twice to make four pages to the sheet, size of book in which the leaf is one-fourth of a certain size of paper," late 15c., in the phrase in quarto, from Medieval Latin in quarto "in the fourth (part of a sheet of paper)," from quarto, ablative singular of Latin quartus "the fourth, fourth part" (related to quattuor "four," from PIE root *kwetwer- "four").ETD quarto (n.).2
common form of native silica or silicon dioxide, 1756, from German Quarz, Zwarc "rock crystal," from Middle High German twarc, probably from a West Slavic source, compare Czech tvrdy, Polish twardy "quartz," noun uses of an adjective meaning "hard," from Old Church Slavonic tvrudu "hard," from Proto-Slavic *tvrd-, from PIE *(s)twer- "to grasp, hold; hard."ETD quartz (n.).2
"rock composed essentially of the mineral quartz," 1837, from quartz + -ite.ETD quartzite (n.).2
1964, from "quas(i-stell)ar radio source" (1963); see quasi- + stellar. So called because they resembled stars in photographic images; now thought to be massive, distant, extremely luminous active galactic nuclei.ETD quasar (n.).2
the modern English word is a merger of two words, both in Middle English as quashen, from two unrelated Latin verbs.ETD quash (v.).2
1. "to suppress, overcome" (mid-13c.); "to make void, annul, nullify, veto" (mid-14c.), from Old French quasser, quassier, casser "to annul, declare void," and directly from Medieval Latin quassare, alteration of Late Latin cassare, from cassus "null, void, empty" (from extended form of PIE root *kes- "to cut"). The meaning "subdue, put down summarily" is from c. 1600.ETD quash (v.).3
2. "to break, crush, beat to pieces" early 14c., from Old French quasser, casser "to break, smash, destroy; maltreat, injure, harm, weaken," from Latin quassare "to shatter, shake or toss violently," frequentative of quatere (past participle quassus) "to shake," from PIE root *kwet- "to shake" (source also of Greek passein "to sprinkle," Lithuanian kutėti "to shake up," Old Saxon skuddian "to move violently," German schütteln "to shake," Old English scudan "to hasten").ETD quash (v.).4
In Medieval Latin, quassare often was used for cassare, and in later French the form of both words is casser. The words in English now are somewhat, or entirely, fused. Related: Quashed; quashing.ETD quash (v.).5
word-forming element used since 18c. (but most productively in 20c.), "kind of, like but not really, as if," expressing some resemblance but implying a degree of fictitious or unreal quality or lack of some important feature; from Latin quasi "as if, as it were" (see quasi).ETD quasi-.2
"as if, as it were," used in introducing a proposed or possible explanation, late 15c., a Latin word used in Latin in hypothetical comparisons, "as if, just as if, as though;" in real comparisons "just as, as;" and in approximation, "somewhat like, nearly, not far from." It is from quam "as" relative pronominal adverb of manner (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) + si "if" (from PIE pronominal stem *swo- "so;" see so).ETD quasi (adv.).2
"Low Sunday," 1706, Quasimodo Sunday, from Latin quasi modo, first words of introit for the first Sunday after Easter: quasi modo geniti infantes "as newborn babes" (1 Peter ii.2). The hunchback in Hugo's novel was abandoned as an infant at Notre Dame on this day, hence his name. For first element, see quasi; for second, see mode (n.1).ETD Quasimodo (n.).2
"act of shaking, concussion," early 15c., quassacioun, from Latin quassationem (nominative quassatio) "a shaking or beating," noun of action from past-participle stem of quassare "to shatter, shake or toss violently" (see quash).ETD quassation (n.).2
1520s, "set of four persons or things," from Latin quaterni "four each, by fours," from quater "four times" (from PIE root *kwetwer- "four"). By 1839 as "state of being four or making up the number four." An earlier word for "set of four persons or things" was quaternion (late 14c., from Latin quaternionem).ETD quaternity (n.).2
early 15c., "consisting of four parts," from Latin quaternarius "of four each, containing four," from quaterni "four each, by fours," from quater "four times," related to quattuor "four" (from PIE root *kwetwer- "four"). Also as a noun, "the number four" (mid-15c.), from Latin quaternarius.ETD quaternary (adj.).2
In geological sense, with capital Q-, attested from 1843 in English, proposed 1829 by French geologist Jules Pierre François Stanislas Desnoyers (1800-1887) as name for "the fourth great epoch of geological time," but because it comprises only the age of man (now reckoned as the last 2.6 million years), and the other epochs are reckoned in the tens of millions of years, not all accepted it. Compare Tertiary.ETD quaternary (adj.).3
in French terms, "fourteen," from French quatorze, from Latin quatuordecim (source also of Italian quattordici), from quatuor "four" (see four) + -decim (see -teen).ETD quatorze.2
"stanza or poem of 14 lines, a sonnet," 1580s, from French quatorze "the number fourteen;" see quatorze.ETD quatorzain (n.).2
"stanza of fourteen lines rhyming alternately," 1580s, from French quatrain "four-line stanza" (16c.), from Old French quatre "four," from Latin quattuor "four" (from PIE root *kwetwer- "four").ETD quatrain (n.).2
"flower with four leaves, leaf with four leaflets (as a four-leaf clover)," early 15c., from Old French quatrefoil, from quatre "four" (see four) + foil "leaf" (see foil (n.)). As the word for an architectural opening or pattern of a similar design, by 1805.ETD quatrefoil (n.).2
"the 15th century as a period in art and architecture," 1847, from Italian quattrocento, literally "four hundred," short for mille quattrocento "one thousand four hundred," in reference to a period beginning in C.E. 1400; see four + hundred.ETD quattrocento (n.).2
The Italian pattern (also in trecento, cinquecento) is a stumbling-block for those accustomed to the English pattern of naming the centuries ordinally so that each contains only one year of the number that names it. Trecento means literally "three hundred," but stands for "the 1300s," which we call the 14th century.ETD quattrocento (n.).3
early 15c., quaveren, "to vibrate, tremble, have a tremulous motion," probably a frequentative of cwavien "to tremble, shake, be afraid" (early 13c.), which probably is related to Low German quabbeln "tremble," and possibly of imitative origin. With Germanic verbal suffix indicating repeated or diminutive action (see -er (4)). The meaning "sing in trills or quavers, sing with a tremulous tone" is recorded by 1530s. Related: Quavered; quavering.ETD quaver (v.).2
1560s, in music, "an eighth-note," from quaver (v.). Sense of "a shake or trill in singing" is from 1610s; meaning "a tremble in the voice" is by 1748.ETD quaver (n.).2
Middle English quene "a woman; a low-born woman," from Old English cwene "woman," also "female serf, hussy, prostitute" (as in portcwene "public woman"), from Proto-Germanic *kwenon (source also of Old Saxon quan, Old High German quena, Old Norse kona, Gothic qino "wife, woman," Middle Dutch quene "vain or worthless woman"), from PIE root *gwen- "woman." Compare queen (n.). The -ea- spelling is attested from early 15c.ETD quean (n.).2
Woman considered without regard to qualities or position (perhaps by contrast to the senses in queen), hence often a slighting or abusive term for a woman; in Middle English it could mean "a harlot; an old woman or crone," and it was in popular use 16c.-17c. in the sense of "hussy." But in Scottish often with a sense of "young, robust woman" (late 15c.).ETD quean (n.).3
The sense of "effeminate homosexual" is recorded by 1935, according to Partridge this was especially in Australian slang.ETD quean (n.).4
mid-15c., kyse, coysy, of food, "unsettling to the stomach, apt to cause nausea;" by 1540s of persons or the stomach, "affected with nausea, inclined to vomit;" a word of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source, such as Old Norse kveisa "a boil" (Middle English Compendium compares Old Norse iðra-kveisa "bowel pains"). Or perhaps from or influenced by Anglo-French queisier, from Old French coisier "to wound, hurt, make uneasy," which seems to be from the same Germanic root as kveisa. But the history is obscure and evidences of development are wanting. Related: Queasily; queasiness.ETD queasy (adj.).2
Canadian French province, from Micmac (Algonquian) /kepe:k/ "strait, narrows." Related: Quebecois (n. and adj.), from French Québecois.ETD Quebec.2
native people of Peru and surrounding regions, 1811, from Spanish, according to OED from Quechua (Inca) kechua "plunderer, destroyer." Also the name of their language. Related: Quechuan.ETD Quechua (n.).2
Middle English quene, "pre-eminent female noble; consort of a king," also "female sovereign, woman ruling in her own right," from Old English cwen "queen, female ruler of a state; woman; wife," from Proto-Germanic *kwoeniz (source also of Old Saxon quan "wife," Old Norse kvaen, Gothic quens), ablaut variant of *kwenon (source of quean), from PIE root *gwen- "woman."ETD queen (n.).2
The most ancient Germanic sense of the word seems to have been "wife," which had specialized by Old English times to "wife of a king." In Old Norse the cognate word was still mostly "a wife" generally, as in kvan-fang "marriage, taking of a wife," kvanlauss "unmarried, widowed," kvan-riki "the domineering of a wife."ETD queen (n.).3
In reference to anything personified as chief or greatest, and considered as possessing female attributes, from late Old English. Figuratively, of a woman who is chief or pre-eminent among others or in some sphere by 1590s. Queen-mother "widow of a king who is also the mother of a reigning sovereign" is by 1570s (colloquial queen mum is by 1960).ETD queen (n.).4
English is one of the few Indo-European languages to have a word for "queen" that is not a feminine derivative of a word for "king." The others are Scandinavian: Old Norse drottning, Danish dronning, Swedish drottning "queen," in Old Norse also "mistress," but these also are held to be ultimately from male words, such as Old Norse drottinn "master."ETD queen (n.).5
The chess piece (with the freest movement and thus the most power in attack) was so called from c. 1400. As a verb in chess, in reference to a pawn that has reached the opponent's side of the board and become a queen (usually), from 1789. The playing card was so called from 1570s.ETD queen (n.).6
Of bees from c. 1600 (until late 17c., they generally were thought to be kings; as in "Henry V," I.ii, but the Anglo-Saxons knew better: their word was beomodor); queen bee "fully developed female bee," the mother of the hive, is used in a figurative sense by 1807.ETD queen (n.).7
Meaning "male homosexual" (especially a feminine and ostentatious one) is certainly recorded by 1924; probably as an alteration or misunderstanding of quean, which is earlier in this sense but had become obscure. Cincinnati, Ohio, has been the Queen City (of the West) since 1835. In commercial reference to an extra-large bed size (but generally smaller than king), by 1954.ETD queen (n.).8
New York City borough, named for Catherine of Braganza, queen of English King Charles II.ETD Queens.2
by 1863 in reference an architectural and design style (notable for commodious and dignified buildings) characteristic of the time of Queen Anne of Great Britain and Ireland, who reigned 1702-14. An imitation of it had a vogue in U.S., especially for suburban cottages, from c. 1878. The Queen Anne's lace of the white, feathery blossoms is so called by 1893 in American English.ETD Queen Anne.2
"state or rank of being a queen," 1850, from queen + -hood. Queendom is from c. 1600 as "country ruled by a queen," 1650s as "state or rank of being a queen."ETD queenhood (n.).2
"belonging to or characteristic of a queen," mid-15c., queenli, from queen (n.) + -ly (1). Related: Queenliness.ETD queenly (adj.).2
drawn up 1867 by Sir John Sholto Douglas (1844-1900), 8th Marquis of Queensberry, to govern the sport of boxing in Great Britain.ETD Queensberry Rules.2
Australian state, founded 1859 and named for Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Related: Queenslander.ETD Queensland.2
"to spoil, ruin," 1812, slang, from queer (adj.). Related: Queered; queering. Earlier it meant "to puzzle, ridicule, deride, cheat" (1790). To queer the pitch (1846) is in reference to the patter of an itinerant tradesman or showman (see pitch (n.1)).ETD queer (v.).2
c. 1500, "strange, peculiar, odd, eccentric," from Scottish, perhaps from Low German (Brunswick dialect) queer "oblique, off-center," which is related to German quer "oblique, perverse, odd," from Old High German twerh "oblique" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). For the suggested sense evolution, compare cross (adj.). But OED is against this etymology on grounds of timing and sense.ETD queer (adj.).2
The meaning "appearing, feeling, or behaving otherwise than is usual or normal" is by 1781. The colloquial sense of "open to suspicion, doubtful as to honesty" is by 1740. As a slang noun, "counterfeit money," by 1812; to shove the queer (1859) was "to pass counterfeit money. Queer Street (1811) was the imaginary place where persons in difficulties and shady characters lived, hence, in cant generally, "contrary to one's wishes."ETD queer (adj.).3
Sense of "homosexual" is attested by 1922; the noun in this sense is 1935, from the adjective. Related: Queerly. Queer studies as an academic discipline is attested from 1994.ETD queer (adj.).4
Among the entries in the 1811 "Lexicon Balatronicum" are: Queer as Dick's Hatband "Out of order without knowing one's disease"; Queer Bitch "An odd out of the way fellow"; Queer Ken "A prison"; Queer Mort "A diseased strumpet"; Queer Rooster "An informer that pretends to be sleeping and thereby overhears the conversation of thieves in nightcellars."ETD queer (adj.).5
1680s, "strangeness, oddity," from queer (adj.) + -ness. Meaning "homosexuality" is from 1956. Alternative queerity is by 1711.ETD queerness (n.).2
"heifer, young cow that has not had a calf," Scottish and Northern English dialect, late 14c. (c. 1300 in surnames), quie, from Old Norse kviga, apparently from ku "cow" (compare Danish kvie; see cow (n.)).ETD quey (n.).2
1650s, a shortening of squelch, perhaps influenced by quench. Related: Quelched; quelching.ETD quelch (v.).2
Middle English quellen "to kill" (a person or animal), from Old English cwellan "to kill, cause to die; murder, execute," from Proto-Germanic *kwaljanan (source also of Old English cwelan "to die," cwalu "violent death;" Old Saxon quellian "to torture, kill;" Old Norse kvelja "to torment;" Middle Dutch quelen "to vex, tease, torment;" Old High German quellan "to suffer pain," German quälen "to torment, torture"), from PIE root *gwele- "to throw, reach," with extended sense "to pierce."ETD quell (v.).2
The original sense is obsolete; the milder sense of "suppress, extinguish, cause to cease," developed by c. 1300; that of "reduce to peace or subjection" is by 1560s. Compare quail (v.). "The common identification of quell with kill (1), of which it is said to be the earlier form, is erroneous" [Century Dictionary]. Related: Quelled; quelling.ETD quell (v.).3
Middle English quellere, "a murderer, executioner, official torturer," from Old English cwellere "killer, slayer," agent noun from cwellan (see quell).ETD queller (n.).2
Middle English quenchen, "to extinguish, put out" (heat, light, fire, also of desire, hunger, thirst), also figurative, "to bring to naught, eliminate, render ineffectual" (c. 1200), Old English acwencan "to quench" (of fire, light), from Proto-Germanic *kwenkjanan, probably a causative form from the source of Old English cwincan "to go out, be extinguished," Old Frisian kwinka. No certain cognates outside Germanic; perhaps a substratum word. Especially "to cool or extinguish by means of cold water," hence "to drench in water" (late 15c.). Related: Quenched; quenching.ETD quench (v.).2
masc. proper name, from French, from Latin Quin(c)tianus, from quintus "the fifth." Roman children in large families often were named for their birth order (compare Sextius; also see Octavian). "[P]opular in France from the cult of St Quentin of Amiens, and brought to England by the Normans" ["Dictionary of English Surnames"], but the popular English form as a surname was Quinton.ETD Quentin.2
tree genus, Latin quercus "oak," from PIE *kwerkwu-, assimilated form of *perkwu- "oak" (see fir). Related: Quercine (adj.).ETD Quercus (n.).2
"an inquirer," 1590s, originally in astrology, from Latin quaerentem, present participle of quaerere (see query (v.)). Earlier in legal language, "a plaintiff, a complainant" (1727). Querist "one who asks questions" is by 1630s.ETD querent (n.).2
1530s, quaere "a question," from Latin quaere "to ask, inquire," "much used as a marginal note or memorandum to indicate a question or doubt, and hence taken as a noun" [Century Dictionary], second person singular imperative of quaerere "to seek, look for; strive, endeavor, strive to gain; ask, require, demand;" figuratively "seek mentally, seek to learn, make inquiry," probably ultimately from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns. Spelling Englished or altered c. 1600 by influence of inquiry. Compare quest.ETD query (n.).2
"to question, ask questions; express doubt," 1650s, from query (n.). Intransitive sense is by 1680s. Related: Queried; querying.ETD query (v.).2
"complaining, apt to complain," c. 1600, from Latin querimonia "a complaint," from queri "to complain" (see querulous).ETD querimonious (adj.).2
"small mill for grinding" (grain, pepper, mustard, etc.), Middle English querne, from Old English cweorn "hand-mill, mill," from PIE *gwere-na- "millstone" (source also of Old Norse kvern, Old Frisian quern, Old High German quirn, Gothic quirnus; Sanskrit grava "crushing stone;" Lithuanian girna "millstone," girnos "hand mills;" Old Church Slavonic zrunuvi "mills;" Welsh brevan "hand mill"), suffixed form of root *gwere- (1) "heavy."ETD quern (n.).2
"habitually complaining; expressing complaint," c. 1400, querelous, from Old French querelos "quarrelsome, argumentative" and directly from Late Latin querulosus, from Latin querulus "full of complaints, complaining," from queri "to complain," from Proto-Italic *kwese-, of uncertain etymology, perhaps, via the notion of "to sigh," from a PIE root *kues- "to hiss" (source also of Sanskrit svasiti "to hiss, snort"), which is not very compelling, but no better etymology has been offered.ETD querulous (adj.).2
It retains the original vowel of quarrel (n.1). Related: Querulously; querulousness.ETD querulous (adj.).3
Mexican tortilla with filling of cheese, etc., 1944, from Spanish, diminutive of quesada, "type of cheesecake," from queso "cheese," from Latin caeseus (see cheese (n.1)).ETD quesadilla (n.).2
c. 1300, "an inquest, a judicial inquiry;" early 14c., "a search for something, the act of seeking, pursuit" (especially in reference to hounds seeking game in the hunt), from Old French queste "search, quest, chase, hunt, pursuit; inquest, inquiry" (12c., Modern French quête), properly "the act of seeking," and directly from Medieval Latin questa "search, inquiry," alteration of Latin quaesitus (fem. quaesita) "sought-out, select," past participle of quaerere "seek, gain, ask" (see query (n.)).ETD quest (n.).2
The medieval romance sense of "adventure undertaken by a knight" (especially the search for the Grail) is attested from late 14c. Chaucer has questmonger (late 14c.), "one who profits from an unjust action at law."ETD quest (n.).3
mid-14c., questen, "to seek game, hunt" (in reference to dogs, etc.), from quest (n.) and from Old French quester "to search, hunt," from queste (n.). Related: Quested; questing. Of persons, in the general sense of "go in search, make inquiry," by 1620s. Of hunting dogs, "to bark, bay," as when on the scent of game, mid-14c., hence the questing beast, fabulous animal in Arthurian romances, which was so-called according to Malory for the sound it made:ETD quest (v.).2
early 13c., questioun, "philosophical or theological problem" (especially when phrased as an interrogative statement), early 14c. as "utterance meant to elicit an answer or discussion," also as "a difficulty, a doubt," from Anglo-French questiun, Old French question "question, difficulty, problem; legal inquest, interrogation, torture," and directly from Latin quaestionem (nominative quaestio) "a seeking, a questioning, inquiry, examining, judicial investigation," noun of action from past-participle stem of quaerere "ask, seek" (see query (v.)).ETD question (n.).2
Also in Middle English "verbal contention, debate; legal proceedings, litigation, accusation." Phrase a question of meaning "a dispute about" is from early 15c.ETD question (n.).3
No question "undoubtedly" is from mid-15c; no questions asked "accountability not required" is from 1879 (especially in newspaper advertisements seeking the return of something lost or stolen). To be out of the question (c. 1700) is to be not pertinent to the subject, hence "not to be considered." To be in question "under discussion or consideration" is from 1610s.ETD question (n.).4
Question mark is from 1849, sometimes also question stop (1862), earlier interrogation point (1590s). The figurative sense of "something about which there is uncertainty or doubt" is from 1869.ETD question (n.).5
1580s, "that may be interrogated" (a sense now obsolete); c. 1600, of facts, claims, etc., "open to dispute, doubtful," from question (v.) + -able. Deprecatory sense of "dubious in character" is attested from 1806. Related: Questionably.ETD questionable (adj.).2
late 15c., questiounen, "to inquire, ask, seek to know," from question (n.) and from Old French questioner "ask questions, interrogate, torture" (13c.), from question (n.). Hence "to dispute, doubt," by 1530s. Transitive sense of "inquire of by asking questions" is from late 15c. Related: Questioned; questioning. Alternative verb questionize is attested from 1847.ETD question (v.).2
"the act of interrogating," c. 1600, verbal noun from question (v.). Questioning pitch for "rising intonation of an interrogative sentence" is by 1906.ETD questioning (n.).2
"one who asks questions or has doubts," early 15c., questiouner, agent noun from question (v.). Questionist is attested from 1510s.ETD questioner (n.).2
"list of questions by which information is sought from a select group," 1901, from French questionnaire "list of formal questions," from questionner "to question," (see question (v.)). Purists long resisted it, preferring the native formation questionary (mid-15c. as "a scholastic questioner"); see -ary.ETD questionnaire (n.).2
magnificent bird of Central America with brilliant plumage, 1827, from Spanish quetzal, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) quetzalli, "tail-feather." The full bird name in Nahuatl was quetzaltototl, with tototl "bird."ETD quetzal (n.).2
plumed serpent god of the Toltecs and Aztecs, 1570s, Quecalcouatl, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) quetzalli (see quetzal) + coatl "snake."ETD Quetzalcoatl (n.).2
"stand in or join a line" (intransitive), by 1924, from queue (n.). The transitive sense of "arrange in or cause to form a line" is by 1928. Earlier "tie or fasten the hair in a braided pigtail" (1777). Related: Queued; queueing.ETD queue (v.).2
"act or fact of standing in line," 1918, verbal noun from queue (v.).ETD queueing (n.).2
late 15c., "band attached to a letter with seals dangling on the free end," from French queue "a tail," from Old French cue, coe, queue, "tail" (12c., also "penis"), from Latin coda (dialectal variant or alternative form of cauda) "tail" (see coda, and compare cue (n.2)).ETD queue (n.).2
Also in literal use in 16c. English, "tail of a beast," especially in heraldry. A metaphoric extension to "line of dancers" (c. 1500) perhaps led to the extended sense of "line of people, etc." (1837), but this use in English is perhaps directly from French (queue à queue, "one after another" appears in early 19c. English and American military dictionaries).ETD queue (n.).3
Churchill is said to have coined Queuetopia (1950), to describe Britain under Labour or Socialist government.ETD queue (n.).4
Also used 18c. in sense of "braid of hair hanging down behind" (attested by 1748), originally part of the wig, in later 18c. of the hair of the head.ETD queue (n.).5
1610s, "a pun, a play on words," probably a diminutive of obsolete quib "evasion of a point at issue" (1540s), which is based on Latin quibus? "by what (things)?" Its extensive use in legal writing supposedly gave it the association with trivial argument: "a word of frequent occurrence in legal documents ... hence associated with the 'quirks and quillets' of the law." [OED].ETD quibble (n.).2
Latin quibus is dative or ablative plural of quid "in what respect? to what extent?; how? why?," neuter of relative pronoun quis (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns).ETD quibble (n.).3
"equivocate, evade the point, trifle in an argument or discourse, turn from the point in question or the plain truth," 1650s, from quibble (n.). Earlier "to pun" (1620s). Related: Quibbled; quibbler; quibbling.ETD quibble (v.).2
"pastry case with a cooked, savory filling," a specialty of the Alsace-Lorraine region, 1949, from French quiche (1810), from Alsatian German Küche, diminutive of German Kuchen "cake" (see cake (n.)). The food became fashionable 1970s; became contemptible as indicative of wimpiness 1980s.ETD quiche (n.).2
Middle English quik, from Old English cwic "living, alive, animate, characterized by the presence of life" (now archaic), and figuratively, of mental qualities, "rapid, ready," from Proto-Germanic *kwikwaz (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian quik, Old Norse kvikr "living, alive," Dutch kwik "lively, bright, sprightly," Old High German quec "lively," German keck "bold"), from PIE root *gwei- "to live." Sense of "lively, active, swift, speedy, hasty," developed by c. 1300, on notion of "full of life."ETD quick (adj.).2
Of persons, "mentally active, prompt to perceive or respond to impressions" from late 15c. Of an action, process, etc., "done in little time," 1540s. Also in Middle English used of soft soils, gravel pits, etc. where the ground is shifting and yielding (mid-14c., compare quicksand). Also in Middle English "with child, in an advanced state of pregnancy" (when the woman can feel the child move within). Also formerly of bright flowers or colors (c. 1200).ETD quick (adj.).3
As an adverb, "quickly, in a quick manner," from c. 1300. To be quick about something is from 1937. Quick buck is from 1946, American English. Quick-change artist (1886) originally was an actor expert in playing different roles in the same performance of a show. Quick-witted is from 1520s.ETD quick (adj.).4
"living persons," Old English cwic, from quick (adj.). Frequently paired with the dead, from phrasing in the Nicene and Apostles' creeds, as in Middle English þan cwike and þa deaden, Old English cwicum & deadum. The quick "tender part of the flesh" (under a nail, etc.) is from late 14c. (quick (adj.) in the extended sense of "sensitive to pain" is from c. 1200); the figurative use of it, in touch (someone) to the quick is from 1520s.ETD quick (n.).2
c. 1200, quiknesse, "state of being alive," from quick (adj.) + -ness. Early 15c. as "alacrity, speed, rapidity;" mid-15c. as "readiness of perception, keenness of mind."ETD quickness (n.).2
Old English cwic-beam, a name of some tree, from beam (n.), in its original sense of "tree," apparently with quick (adj.), though "the precise force of the adj. is not clear" [OED]. The aspen, old world mountain ash, and rowan have been proposed as the tree in question.ETD quickbeam (n.).2
c. 1300, quikenen, "come to life, receive life," also transitive, "give life to," also "return to life from the dead;" see quick (adj.) + -en (1). The earlier verb was simply quick (c. 1200, from late Old English gecwician, and compare Old Norse kvikna).ETD quicken (v.).2
The sense of "hasten, accelerate, impart speed to" is from 1620s. The intransitive meaning "become faster or more active" is by 1805. Also, of a woman, "enter that state of pregnancy in which the child gives indications of life;" of a child, "begin to manifest signs of life in the womb" (usually about the 18th week of pregnancy); probably originally in reference to the child but reversed and also used of the mother. Related: Quickened; quickening.ETD quicken (v.).3
"anything made or done quickly," 1940, from quick (adj.) + -ie. As "alcoholic drink meant to be taken hurriedly," by 1941 (quick one in this sense from 1928). From 1926 as "motion picture made in a short time." By 1975 as "sex act done hastily."ETD quickie (n.).2
mid-15c., quickli, "lively, vivid, lifelike," from quick (adj.) + -ly (2), and compare late Old English cwiculice "vigorously, keenly." Meaning "rapidly, in a short space of time" is from c. 1200.ETD quickly (adv.).2
"caustic lime, lime not yet slaked with water," late 14c., from quick (adj.) "living" + lime (n.1). A loan-translation of Latin calx viva. So called perhaps for being unquenched, or for the vigorousness of its qualities; compare Old English cwicfyr "sulfur."ETD quicklime (n.).2
"a quick-step, a march in quick time," 1752, from quick (adj.) + march (n.1).ETD quick-march (n.).2
"movable, very loose sand bank in a sea, lake, or river," capable of swallowing heavy objects and sometimes dangerous to vessels or travelers," c. 1300, from Middle English quyk "living" (see quick (adj.)) + sond "sand" (see sand (n.)). Figurative use by 1590s. Old English had cwecesund, but this might have meant "lively strait of water."ETD quicksand (n.).2
"formed of living plants," 1530s, from earlier noun, "a living plant set to grow for a hedge" (late 15c.), from quick (n.) "a live fence or hedge formed of some growing plant," especially hawthorn (mid-15c.); see quick (adj.) + set (v.).ETD quickset (adj.).2
common popular designation of metallic mercury, Middle English quik-silver, from late Old English cwicseolfor, literally "living silver," so called for its mobility, translating Latin argentum vivum (source also of Italian argento vivo), "living silver;" so called from its liquid mobility. See quick (adj.) + silver (n.). Similar formation in Dutch kwikzilver, Old High German quecsilbar, German quecksilber, French vif-argent, Italian argenta viva.ETD quicksilver (n.).2
1802, "step used in marching in quick-time" (110 steps per minute); by 1811 as "a march in quick-time," from quick (adj.) + step (n.). Also of music adapted to such a march. By 1880 as "a fast dance." From 1906 as a verb. Related: quick-stepped; quick-stepping.ETD quick-step (n.).2
"a sovereign, one pound sterling," 1680s, British slang, possibly from quid "that which is, essence," (c. 1600, see quiddity), as used in quid pro quo (q.v.), or directly from Latin quid "what, something, anything." Compare French quibus, noted in Barrêre's dictionary of French argot (1889) as a word for "money, cash," said to be short for quibus fiunt omnia (see quibble (n.)).ETD quid (n.2).2
"bite-sized piece" (of tobacco, etc.), "a portion suitable to be chewed or held in the mouth," 1727, dialectal variant of Middle English cudde, from Old English cudu, cwidu (see cud).ETD quid (n.1).2
"a trifling nicety in argument, a quibble," 1530s, from Medieval Latin quidditas "the essence of things," in Scholastic philosophy, "that which distinguishes a thing from other things," literally "whatness," from Latin quid "what," neuter of indefinite pronoun quis "somebody, someone or other" (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns).ETD quiddity (n.).2
The sense developed from scholastic disputes over the nature of things. Original classical meaning "real essence or nature of a thing, that which distinguishes a thing from other things and makes it what it is" is attested in English from late 14c. (quidite).ETD quiddity (n.).3
"gossip-monger, one who is curious to know everything that happens," 1709 (as two words), etymologically "what now?" From Latin quid "what?" (neuter of interrogative pronoun quis "who?" from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) and nunc "now" (see now), to describe someone forever asking "What's the news?"ETD quidnunc (n.).2
"one thing in place of another," 1560s, from Latin, literally "something for something, one thing for another," from nominative (quid) and ablative (quo) neuter singulars of relative pronoun qui "who" (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) + pro "for" (see pro-).ETD quid pro quo.2
"become quiet or calm, become silent," 1821, from Latin quiescere "to rest," from suffixed form of PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet."ETD quiesce (v.).2
"state or quality of being inactive," 1630s, from Latin quiescentia, from quiescere "to rest" (from suffixed form of PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet"). Related: Quiescency.ETD quiescence (n.).2
c. 1600, of a letter, "not sounded," from Latin quiescentem (nominative quiescens), present participle of quiescere, inchoative verb formed from quies "rest, quiet" (from suffixed form of PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet"). From 1640s as "resting, being in a state of repose." Related: Quiescently.ETD quiescent (adj.).2
late 14c., "peaceable, being in a state of rest, restful, tranquil, not moving or agitated," from Old French quiet and directly from Latin quietus "calm, at rest, free from exertion," from quies (genitive quietis) "rest" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet").ETD quiet (adj.).2
From 1510s as "peaceable, not turbulent, characterized by absence of commotion." By 1590s as "making no noise." From 1570s as "private, secret." As an adverb from 1570s. Quiet American, frequently meaning a U.S. undercover agent or spy, is from the title of Graham Greene's 1955 novel. Related: Quietly; quietness.ETD quiet (adj.).3
c. 1300, "freedom from disturbance or conflict; calm, stillness," from Old French quiete "rest, repose, tranquility" and directly from Latin quies (genitive quietis) "a lying still, rest, repose, peace" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet").ETD quiet (n.).2
From late 14c. as "inactivity, rest, repose;" from c. 1400 as "absence of noise."ETD quiet (n.).3
late 14c., "subdue (a sensation), lessen (a pain)," from quiet (adj.) and in part from Latin quietare. From mid-15c. as "to make or cause to be quiet;" intransitive sense of "become quiet, be silent" is from 1791 (with down (adv.) by 1851). Related: Quieted; quieting.ETD quiet (v.).2
1828, "to make quiet;" 1890, "to become quiet," from quiet (adj.) + -en (1).ETD quieten (v.).2
a form of mysticism which consists in abnegation of all exercise of the will and purely passive meditation on God and divine things, 1680s, from Italian quietismo, literally "passiveness," from quieto "calm, at rest," from Latin quietus "free; calm, resting" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet").ETD Quietism (n.).2
Originally in reference to the mysticism of Miguel Molinos (1640-1697), Spanish priest in Rome, whose "Guida spirituale" was published 1675 and condemned by the Inquisition in 1685. Related: Quietist; Quietistic.ETD Quietism (n.).3
"release or discharge from debt, a final clearing of accounts," 1530s, short for Medieval Latin phrase quietus est "he is quit," from quietus "free" (in Medieval Latin "free from war, debts, etc."), also "calm, resting" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet"). The full Latin phrase was used in English from early 15c. Hence, "death" (i.e. "final discharge"), c. 1600. Latin quies also was used for "the peace of death."ETD quietus (n.).2
"rest, repose, quiet, tranquility," 1590s, from French quiétude (c. 1500) or directly from Late Latin quietudo, from Latin quietus "free; calm, resting" (from PIE root *kweie- "to rest, be quiet"). In the same sense quietness is attested from mid-15c.ETD quietude (n.).2