quarter

Forms

1.A fourth part of something.
- And aboute the fourth quartre of the nyght, he cam unto them, walkinge apon the see [..].
- I ate a quarter of the pizza.
- One of these is 1 Hen. V, cap. 10, defining the quarter of corn to be eight struck bushels, and putting fines on purveyors who take more.
2.Place or position.
- “My men, the schooner coming up on our weather quarter is a Portuguese pirate.”
- She could not suggest in what quarter of London the shop in question was likely to be as the deceased was accustomed to go about a good deal.
- I was one morning walking the deck, when Rogers, whose watch it was, sitting upon the quarter, called to me in his usual style, ‘Come here, Bill.’
3.The back and sides of the upper of a shoe, extending around the wearer's heel to meet the vamp.
4.A section (of a population), especially one having a particular set of values or interests.
- We got help form every quarter.
- V. Gene Robinson's installation as an Episcopal bishop was greeted largely by silence from gay quarters.
- It is something to have that sacerdotal position so frankly recognized; but, I repeat, the ground of objection is an extraordinary one, coming as it does from a Liberal quarter in politics.

1.Pertaining to an aspect of a quarter.
2.Consisting of a fourth part, a quarter (¹⁄₄, 25%).
3.Related to a three-month term, a quarter of a year.
- A quarter day is one terminating a quarter of the year.
- A quarter session is one held quarterly at the end of a quarter.

Common· #1529

From Middle English quarter, from Anglo-Norman quarter, from Latin quartarius, from quartus.

Compare Spanish cuarto (“room, quarters; quarter”).

Doublet of quartier.