I. noun
( -s )
Etymology: from gerund of quarter (II)
1.
a. : the division of an escutcheon into four or more compartments showing coats of arms brought in by family alliances
b. : a quarter of an escutcheon or the coat of arms on it
2.
a. : a dividing into quarters : a cutting or separation into four parts
b. : a division into some other number of parts
3.
a. : the provision or assignment of quarters (as for soldiers)
b. : lodging
4.
a. : the use of quarters in building construction
b. : studding in place in a building
5. : a ranging to and fro over an area : an intensive search or close coverage : crisscrossing
6. : the passing of the moon from one quarter to another
7. : the adjustment (as of cranks or wrist pins) at right angles with each other
8. : the sampling of crushed ore or other material by dividing it into quarters two of which are mixed and again quartered and repeating the operation until a sample of the desired size is obtained
II. adjective
Etymology: from present participle of quarter (II)
1.
a. : coming from a point well abaft the beam of a ship but not directly astern — used of wind, waves, or any moving object
the canoe danced and lurched over a quartering sea — C.S.Forester
b.
(1) archery : oblique with reference to the target and the archer — used of the wind
(2) : moving away diagonally to a shooter's right or left — used of a clay target or live game bird
c. : lying at right angles
quartering cranks of a locomotive
: lying in planes forming a right angle with each other
2.
[ quartering (I) ]
: of, relating to, or used in quartering