quarrian
quarrian: n. (also quarrion) a cockatiel. [prob. Aboriginal]

quart
quart: n.
1 a liquid measure equal to a quarter of a gallon; two pints.
2 a vessel containing this amount.
3 US a unit of dry measure, equivalent to one-thirty-second of a bushel (1.1 litre).
4 (also quarte) the fourth of eight parrying positions in fencing. a quart into a pint po.
1 a large amount etc. fitted into a small space.
2 something difficult or impossible to achieve. [ME f. OF quarte f. L quarta fem. of quartus fourth f. quattuor four]

quagmire
quagmire: n.
1 a soft boggy or marshy area that gives way underfoot.
2 a hazardous or awkward situation. [QUAG + MIRE]

quantity
quantity: n. (pl. -ies.
1 the property of things that is measurable.
2 the size or extent or weight or amount or number.
3 a specified or considerable portion or number or amount (buys in quantity; the quantity of heat in a body).
4 (in pl.) large amounts or numbers; an abundance (quantities of food; is found in quantities on the shore).
5 the length or shortness of vowel sounds or syllables.
6 Math. a a value, component, etc. that may be expressed in numbers. b the figure or symbol representing this. quantity mark a mark put over a vowel etc. to indicate its length. quantity surveyor a person who measures and prices building work. quantity theory the hypothesis that prices correspond to changes in the monetary supply. [ME f. OF quantit f. L quantitas -tatis f. quantus how much]

quantum
quantum: n. (pl. quanta.
1 Physics a a discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of radiation it represents. b an analogous discrete amount of any other physical quantity.
2 a a required or allowed amount. b a share or portion. quantum jump (or leap.
1 a sudden large increase or advance.
2 Physics an abrupt transition in an atom or molecule from one quantum state to another. quantum mechanics (or theory) Physics a system or theory using the assumption that energy exists in discrete units. [L, neut. of quantus how much]

quaternary
quaternary: adj. & n. --adj.
1 having four parts.
2 (Quaternary) Geol. of or relating to the most recent period in the Cenozoic era with evidence of many species of present-day plants and animals (cf. PLEISTOCENE, HOLOCENE). Cf. Appendix II. --n. (pl. -ies.
1 a set of four things.
2 (Quaternary) Geol. the Quaternary period or system. [ME f. L quaternarius f. quaterni distrib. of quattuor four]

queer
queer: adj., n., & v. --adj.
1 strange; odd; eccentric.
2 shady; suspect; of questionable character.
3 a slightly ill; giddy; faint. b Brit. sl. drunk.
4 derog. sl. (esp. of a man) homosexual. --n. derog. sl. a homosexual. --v.tr. sl. spoil; put out of order. in Queer Street sl. in a difficulty, in debt or trouble or disrepute. queer a person's pitch spoil a person's chances, esp. secretly or maliciously. queerish adj. queerly adv. queerness n. [perh. f. G quer oblique (as THWART)]

quarantine
quarantine: n. & v. --n.
1 isolation imposed on persons or animals that have arrived from elsewhere or been exposed to, and might spread, infectious or contagious disease.
2 the period of this isolation. --v.tr. impose such isolation on, put in quarantine. [It. quarantina forty days f. quaranta forty]

quibblerquestionnaire
questionnaire: n.
1 a formulated series of questions, esp. for statistical study.
2 a document containing these. [F f. questionner QUESTION + -aire -ARY(1)]

quartzite
quartzite: n. a metamorphic rock consisting mainly of quartz.

queasy
queasy: adj. (-ier, -iest.
1 a (of a person) feeling nausea. b (of a person's stomach) easily upset, weak of digestion.
2 (of the conscience etc.) overscrupulous, tender. queasily adv. queasiness n. [ME queysy, coisy perh. f. AF & OF, rel. to OF coisir hurt]

quell
quell: v.tr.
1 a crush or put down (a rebellion etc.). b reduce (rebels etc.) to submission.
2 suppress (fear, anger, etc.). queller n. (also in comb.). [OE cwellan kill f. Gmc]

quirt
quirt: n. & v. --n. a short-handled riding-whip with a braided leather lash. --v.tr. strike with this. [Sp. cuerda CORD]

qua
qua: conj. in the capacity of; as being (Napoleon qua general). [L, ablat. fem. sing. of qui who (rel. pron.)]

quartermaster
quartermaster: n.
1 a regimental officer in charge of quartering, rations, etc.
2 a naval petty officer in charge of steering, signals, etc. Quartermaster General the head of the army department in charge of quartering etc. quartermaster sergeant a sergeant assisting an army quartermaster.