| Q, q (noun) | the seventeenth letter of the alphabet. |
| Qu’ran | see Koran. |
| quack1 (noun) | the harsh cry of a duck. vb to make the cry of a duck (ducks quacking by the pond). |
| quack2 (noun) | 1 a person who pretends to have knowledge or skill that he or she does not have, especially in medicine (illnesses made worse by quacks). 2 (British spelling) (informal) a doctor (the quack told him to give up smoking). n quackery the claims or methods of a quack. |
| quad (noun) | short for quadrangle. |
| quadrangle (noun) | 1 a figure with four sides and four angles. 2 a square or rectangular courtyard enclosed by a building or buildings, especially at a school or college (students walking in the quadrangle). |
| quadrant (noun) | 1 the fourth part of a circle. 2 an instrument for measuring angles. |
| Quadraphobia | fear of the number four (see list of phobias) |
| quadrate (adjective) | square or almost square. n. |
| quadratic (adjective) | in algebra, having to do with the square of an unknown quantity, but with no higher power. |
| quadrennial (adjective) | 1 happening every four years (their book festival was a quadrennial festival). 2 lasting for four years. |
| quadrennium (noun) | a period of four years. |
| quadri- or (in front of a vowel) quadr- | prefix four. |
| quadriceps (noun) | the large muscles at the front of the thighs. |
| quadrilateral (noun) | a four-sided figure. |
| quadrille (noun) | 1 a dance for four couples, each forming the side of a square. 2 a kind of card game played by four people. |
| Quadriplegiphobia | fear of quadriplegics or fear of becoming a quadriplegic (see list of phobias) |
| quadruped (noun) | (formal) an animal with four feet (quadrupeds such as dogs and lions). |
| quadruple (adjective) | four times as great. vb to make or become four times greater (the rent has quadrupled in five years). |
| quadruplet (noun) | (often abbreviated to quad) one of four children born at one birth (give birth to quadruplets). |
| quaff (verb) | (formal) to drink a lot at one swallow (quaffing a glass of water after his long run). |
| quaggy (adjective) | soft and flabby. |
| quagmire (noun) | soft, very wet ground; bog, marsh (cars stuck in the quagmire). |
| quail1 (verb) | to bend or draw back in fear (I could see the children quailing at the sound of their parents’ angry voices). |
| quail2 (noun) | a small bird of the partridge family. |
| quaint (adjective) | unusual or old-fashioned in a pleasing way (quaint customs/quaint town). |
| quake | Collective noun for seismologists (A quake of seismologists) (see list of collective nouns) |
| quake (verb) | to shake, to tremble (quaking with fear). |
| Quaker (noun) | a member of the religious group the Society of Friends. |
| qualification (noun) | an ability, skill, etc, that fits a person for a certain position or job (after this class I will have the right qualification for the job). |
| qualify (verb) | 1 to achieve the standards required before entering a business, filling a certain position, getting a job, etc (his family were very proud when he qualified as a doctor). 2 to make fit (his low salary qualifies him for financial aid). 3 to change but not alter completely (qualifying a person’s statement). |
| qualitative (adjective) | (formal) having to do with quality. |
| quality (noun) | 1 a feature of a person or thing (qualities of leadership low-quality paper). 3 excellence (they had a reputation for selling goods of high quality). adj qualitative |
| qualm (noun) | doubt, a fear that a person is about to do something that is wrong (have qualms about giving up his job to write a book/no qualms about getting married). |
| quandary (noun) | a state of uncertainty; doubt as to what a person ought to do (in a quandary about whether to go or to stay). |
| quantify (verb) | to express the amount of; to measure. |
| quantitative (adjective) | (formal) able to be measured, having to do with quantity. |
| quantity (noun) | 1 size, amount (the quantity of paper needed). 2 a large amount (buy food in quantity). 3 the length of a vowel sound. |
| quantum (noun) | an amount. |
| quarantine (noun) | a period of time during which a person, animal, or ship that may carry infection is kept apart. |
| quarrel (noun) | an angry argument or disagreement. vb (quarreled , quarreling , also quarrelled, quarrelling [Br]) 1 to exchange angry words with, to fall out (with) (quarrel with his business partner over money). 2 (formal) to disagree (find no reason to quarrel with her account of the event). |
| quarrelsome (adjective) | fond of quarreling (quarrelsome children). |
| quarry1 (noun) | an intended prey (the mouse was the cat’s quarry). |
| quarry2 (noun) | a place from which stone, slate, etc, may be cut. vb to dig or cut from a quarry (they quarried slate for a living). |
| quart (noun) | in the imperial system, a measurement of liquid (1136 liters, 2 pints, or 1/4 gallon). |
| quarter (noun) | 1 the fourth part of anything (leave a quarter of his fortune to each of his four sons). 2 in the imperial system, a measure of weight, a quarter of a hundredweight (25 pounds). 3 one fourth of an hour (it’s quarter to eight at night). 4 a district in a town (the business quarter). 5 pl lodgings. vb 1 to divide into four equal parts (quarter the orange). 2 (formal) to provide with lodgings (soldiers quartered in the town). |
| quarter horse (noun) | any of a breed of light, strong horses that are solid, usually dark in color, and used in rodeos and in range work. |
| quarter note (noun), | also quaver (British spelling) a note having one-half the duration of a minim. |
| quarterback (noun) | a football player that takes the ball from the center and passes or hands it off at an attempt to score. |
| quartered (adjective) | divided into four parts. |
| quarterfinal (noun) | the matches or games before the semifinals in a contest. Also adj. |
| quarter-hour (noun) | fifteen minutes. |
| quartering (adjective) | 1 moving toward a ship so as to strike either quarter (a quartering wind). 2 lying at right angles. n 1 the act of dividing into quarters. 2 the act of passing back and forth over an area, as in hunting. 3 the providing of lodging for soldiers. 4 the division of a shield into quarters. |
| quarterly (adjective) | happening every three months (a quarterly magazine). Also n. adv once every three months. |
| quartet (noun) | 1 a piece of music written for four performers (a Mozart quartet). 2 a group of four singers or players (she plays in a quartet). 3 a set or group of four. |
| quartz (noun) | a type of mineral found in rocks, usually in the form of crystals. |
| quasar (noun) | a distant star-like heavenly body that emits light and radio waves. |
| quash (verb) | 1 to set aside (an order or judgment), to cancel (quash the criminal sentence). 2 to put down, to put an end to (quash the mutiny). |
| quasi- | prefix almost, to some extent but not really (quasi-religious faith). |
| quassia (noun) | a South American tree with a bitter-tasting bark used in insecticides. |
| quatrain (noun) | a poem or section of a poem of four lines, usually rhyming alternately. |
| quaver (verb) | 1 to shake, to tremble (her voice quavered). 2 to speak in a trembling, uncertain voice (quaver a reply). n 1 a trembling of the voice. 2 (music) a note having one-half the duration of a minim; a quarter note. |
| quay (noun) | a landing place for the loading and unloading of ships (ships moored at the quay). |
| queasy (adjective) | 1 feeling sick, easily made sick (feel queasy on the sea voyage). 2 (formal) having fears or doubts, unwilling. |
| queen (noun) | 1 the wife of a king (the king and his queen). 2 a woman royal ruler of a country (she became queen when her father died). 3 the female bee, ant, etc. 4 a picture playing card. 5 a piece in chess. |
| queen mother (noun) | a former queen who is mother of the reigning king or queen. |
| queenly (adjective) | like a queen (a queenly manner). |
| queer (adjective) | strange, unusual (a queer feeling/a queer person). |
| quell (verb) | 1 to put down completely, to crush (quell the rebellion). 2 to put an end to (quell the children’s fears). |
| quench (verb) | 1 to put out (quench the fire). 2 to satisfy (quench thirst). 3 (formal) to keep down (quench a revolt). |
| querulous (adjective) | complaining (querulous tones). |
| query (noun) | 1 a question (answer their queries). 2 a question mark (?). vb 1 (formal) to ask a question. 2 to doubt (queried the truth of his statement). |
| quesadilla (noun) | a Mexican dish made of a flour tortilla filled with cheese or a spicy mixture, folded, and deep fried. |
| quest (fml or lit) (noun) | a search (a quest for happiness). vb to go in search of. |
| question (noun) | 1 a request for news, information, knowledge, etc (reply to questions about the president’s health). 2 words spoken or arranged in such a way that an answer is called for (questions rather than statements). 3 a problem (exam questions). 4 the matter under consideration (questions of international importance). vb 1 to ask questions. 2 to doubt. n questioner |
| question mark (noun) | a punctuation mark ( ? ) used at the end of questions (what are you doing?) |
| questionable (adjective) | 1 doubtful (it is questionable whether he will arrive on time). 2 open to suspicion (of questionable character). |
| questionnaire (noun) | a set of written questions chosen for a particular purpose (answer a questionnaire about house-buying). |
| quibble (noun) | an objection or argument, especially an unimportant objection or argument (quibbles over the contract). vb to argue about small, unimportant details (quibbling about the price). |
| quiche (noun) | an unsweetened egg custard baked in a tart with onions, cheese, bacon, etc. |
| quick (adjective) | 1 fast-moving (a quick pace). 2 clever (a quick pupil/a quick brain). 3 done in a short time (a quick drink). 4 (old) living. n the very tender flesh under the nails or just below the skin. adv quickly. |
| quicken (verb) | 1 to give life to (quicken his interest). 2 to become alive or lively. 3 to make or become faster (quicken the pace/his pace quickened). |
| quickly (adverb) | at once, rapidly (read it quickly). |
| quicksand | Collective noun for credit cards (A quicksand of credit cards) (see list of collective nouns) |
| quicksand (noun) | loose, wet sand into which anything of weight (e.g. ships, people) may sink. |
| quicksilver (noun) | mercury. |
| quiet (adjective) | 1 at rest. 2 noiseless, not noisy. 3 calm, peaceful, gentle. 4 (of colors) not bright. n 1 rest, peace. 2 silence. vb 1 to calm. 2 to make silent. |
| quill (noun) | 1 a large feather from a goose or other bird, used as a pen. 2 the hollow stem of a feather. 3 one of the prickles on the back of a porcupine. |
| quilt (noun) | a bedcover padded with feathers, wool, etc (huddle under the quilt to get warm). vb to make (a bedcover, etc) filled with padding separated into small compartments by stitching (a quilted vest). |
| quince (noun) | 1 a kind of fruit-bearing Asian tree. 2 the sour fruit of this tree often used in preserves. |
| Quinology | study of quinine. (see list of branches of science) |
| Quintaphobia | fear of the number five (see list of phobias) |
| quintet (noun) | 1 a piece of music written for five performers. 2 a group of five singers or players (play in a quintet). 3 a set or group of five. |
| quintuple (adjective) | five times as great. vb to make or become five times greater (quintupling the firm’s profit in three years). |
| quintuplet (noun) | (often abbreviated to quin) one of five children born at one birth (she gave birth to quintuplets). |
| quip (noun) | a joking or witty remark. vb (quipped , quipping ) to make such remarks. |
| quirk (noun) | 1 a way of behaving or doing something peculiar to oneself (one of his quirks is to keep stroking his beard). 2 a strange or unexpected happening (by a sudden quirk of fate). |
| quit (verb) | (quitted or quit, quitting ) 1 to leave (given notice to quit/tired of his job and decided to quit). 2 to give up (try to quit smoking). |
| quite (adverb) | 1 completely, wholly (quite recovered). 2 fairly, rather (quite clever). |
| quits (adjective) | on even terms, owing nothing to each other (call it quits). |
| quittance (noun) | (formal) a setting free from debt, guilt, etc. |
| quiver | Collective noun for arrows (A quiver of arrows) (see list of collective nouns) |
| quiver | Collective noun for cobras (A quiver of cobras) (see list of collective nouns) |
| quiver | Collective noun for rebuttals (A quiver of rebuttals) (see list of collective nouns) |
| quiver1 (noun) | a case for carrying arrows. |
| quiver2 (verb) | to tremble (a voice quivering with rage/children quivering with fear). n a shudder, a slight trembling (a quiver of fear). |
| quixotic (adjective) | trying to achieve impossible or unrealistic aims, especially when these are to help others and bring danger to oneself (quixotic gestures). |
| quiz (verb) | (quizzed , quizzing ) to examine by questioning (quiz them about their parents). n a number of questions set to test a person’s knowledge (a television quiz). |
| quizzical (adjective) | as if asking a question, especially mockingly or humorously (a quizzical look). |
| quota (noun) | the share of the whole to which each member of a group has a right (the quota of fish allowed to be caught by the local fishermen). |
| quotation (noun) | 1 the words or passage quoted (a quotation from Shakespeare). 2 a price stated (a quotation for painting the house). |
| quotation marks (noun, plural) | punctuation marks (“ ” or ‘ ’) placed at the beginning and end of a written quotation. |
| quote (verb) | 1 to repeat or write down the exact words of another person, making it known that they are not anyone else’s (quoting her mother/quoted Shakespeare). 2 to say the price of (quote $500 for decorating the room). n (informal) 1 a quotation. 2 a quotation mark. |
| quotidian (adjective) | (formal) daily. |
| quotient (noun) | the answer to a division problem. |
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