QUARTER

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin quartarius, from quartus fourth Date: 14th century one of four equal parts into which something is divisible ; a fourth part , any of various units of capacity or weight equal to or derived from one fourth of some larger unit, any of various units of length or area equal to one fourth of some larger unit, the fourth part of a measure of time: as, one of a set of four 3-month divisions of a year , a school term of about 12 weeks, ~ hour , 5. a coin worth a ~ of a dollar, the sum of 25 cents, 6. one limb of a quadruped with the adjacent parts, hind~ 2, 7. the region or direction lying under any of the four divisions of the horizon, one of the four parts into which the horizon is divided or the cardinal point corresponding to it, a compass point or direction other than the cardinal points, d. an unspecified person or group , a point, direction, or place not definitely identified , 8. a division or district of a town or city , the inhabitants of such a ~, 9. an assigned station or post, an assembly of a ship's company for ceremony, drill, or emergency, living accommodations ; lodgings , merciful consideration of an opponent , a fourth part of the moon's period, the side of a horse's hoof between the toe and the heel, 13. any of the four parts into which a heraldic field is divided, a bearing or charge occupying the first fourth part of a heraldic field, the stern area of a ship's side, one side of the upper of a shoe or boot from heel to vamp, one of the four equal periods into which the playing time of some games is divided, II. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to cut or divide into four equal or nearly equal parts , divide , to provide with lodging or shelter, to crisscross (an area) in many directions, 4. to arrange or bear (as different coats of arms) ~ly on one escutcheon, to add (a coat of arms) to others on one escutcheon, to divide (a shield) into distinct sections (as by stripes), intransitive verb lodge , dwell , to crisscross a district, to change from one ~ to another , to strike on a ship's ~ , III. adjective Date: 14th century consisting of or equal to a ~