QUOIN, (Coin, Fr.) a wedge used to lay under the breech of a gun, to raise or depress the metal.
QUOIT, the ancient discus—an Olympic game, still practised in all parts of the world. It consists in throwing a large iron ring to a considerable distance, at a wooden peg, driven into the ground.
QUOTIENT. In arithmetic, the number resulting from the division of a greater number by a smaller, and which shews how often the smaller, or the divisor, is contained in the greater or dividend.
R.
RABINET, formerly a name given to a small sort of ordnance between a falconet and a base, about one inch and a half diameter in the bore, five feet six inches long, and 300 pounds in weight, loaded with six ounces of powder, and carrying a shot one inch and three-eighths in diameter.
RACHAT du pain, Fr. a certain pecuniary allowance which was made in the old French service to the officers of each company, for the surplus rations of ammunition bread that were left in the purveyor’s hands. The same rule exists in the British service, when troops are in camp or barracks.
RACINE, Fr. See [Root].
RACLOIR, Fr. A scraper. It is used in the artillery to cleanse out mortars.
RACOLER, Fr. To entice men to inlist.
RACOLEUR, Fr. a crimp, a bringer of recruits, one who entices others to inlist. Men of this description are to be found in all countries where military establishments prevail.