quitter, v.a., to quit, to leave, to part with; to leave off, to take off; to lay aside, to desist from; to give up, to give over; to depart (life). Je vous quitte pour un instant; I leave you for a moment. — père et mère; to leave father and mother. — ses habits; to take off one’s clothes. — une charge; to give up a post. J’aime mieux — que disputer; I would rather give up than wrangle (over it). Il a quitté le service; he has left the service. — le commerce; to give up business. — la chasse; to give up hunting. — la partie; to give up the game. Qui quitte la partie la perd; who leaves off the game, loses. Ne pas — des yeux; not to take one’s eyes off.
quitus (kui-tus), n.m., (—) (fin.) discharge.
qui va là? or qui-va-là, n.m., who goes there? Avoir réponse à —; to be stopped by no difficulty; to have an answer always ready.
qui vive? or qui-vive, n.m., (milit.) challenge-word; who goes there? Être sur le —; to keep a good look-out; to be on the qui vive, or on the alert.
quoailler, v.n., (of a horse) to swish its tail.
quoi, pron., which, what. — que vous disiez; whatever you may say, in short, to speak plainly; of course, to be sure. Dites-moi en — je puis vous servir; tell me in what way I can serve you. C’est en — vous vous trompez; you are mistaken in that. À — passez-vous le temps? how do you spend your time? À — bon tant de façons? why so much ceremony? À propos de —? on what occasion? with respect to what? Avoir de —; (pop.) to be rich. Il n’y a pas de —; it is not worth mentioning; don’t mention it! — qu’il en soit; be that as it may. Nous avons de — le faire; we have the means to do it. Avoir de —; to have sufficient. Il n’y a pas de — pleurer; it is not worth crying about. Il n’y a pas de — rire; it is no laughing matter. Le je ne sais —; the “indescribable” something.
quoi! int., what! how! —, vous avez fait cela? what! have you done that? — donc, vous osez me résister en face! how then! dare you resist me openly?
quoi-que, conj., whatever.
quoique, conj., although, though. Quoiqu’il soit pauvre; although he is poor.
quolibet, n.m., quibble, pun, sorry joke.