Quatrain, kwot′rān, n. a stanza of four lines rhyming alternately. [Fr.]
Quatre-foil, Fr. Quatre-feuille=Quarterfoil.
Quattrocento, kwot-rō-chen′to, n. in Italian, a term for the 15th century, its literature and art: the early Renaissance.—n. Quattrocen′tist. Outstanding quattrocentisti in art are Donatello, Masaccio, Lippo Lippi, and Mantegna. [It., 'four hundred,' contr. for 1400.]
Quaver, kwā′vėr, v.i. to shake: to sing or play with tremulous modulations.—n. a trembling: a vibration of the voice: a note in music=half a crotchet or one-eighth of a semibreve.—n. Quā′verer.—adv. Quā′veringly. [Imit.; cf. Quiver, and Ger. quabbeln.]
Quay, kē, n. a landing-place: a wharf for the loading or unloading of vessels.—n. Quay′age, payment for use of a quay. [O. Fr. quay—Celt., as in Bret. kaé, and W. cae, an enclosure.]
Quayd, kwād, adj. (Spens.). Same as Quelled.
Queachy, kwē′chi, adj. shaking: unsteady. [From queach, a variant of quitch.]
Quean, kwēn, n. a saucy girl or young woman: a woman of worthless character. [Queen.]
Queasy, kwē′zi, adj. sick, squeamish: inclined to vomit: causing nausea: fastidious: ticklish, nice.—adv. Quea′sily.—n. Quea′siness. [Scand.; Norw. kveis, sickness after a debauch, Ice. -kveisa, pains, as in idhra-kveisa, pains in the stomach.]
Quebracho, ke-brä′chō, n. the bark of several hard-wooded South American trees—good in fever. [Port.,—quebrahacho, axe-breaker—quebrar, to break, hacha, facha, axe.]