- one of the four equal or equivalent parts into which anything is or may be divided: a quarter of an apple; a quarter of a book.
- a fourth part, especially of one (¼).
- one fourth of a U.S. or Canadian dollar, equivalent to 25 cents.
- a coin of this value.
- one fourth of an hour: He stayed there for an hour and a quarter.
- the moment marking this period: The clock struck the quarter.
- one fourth of a calendar or fiscal year: The bank sends out a statement each quarter.
- Astronomy.
- a fourth of the moon's period or monthly revolution, being that portion of its period or orbital course between a quadrature and a syzygy.
- either quadrature of the moon.
- (in schools, colleges, and universities) one of the terms or periods into which instruction is organized, generally 10 to 12 weeks in length.
- any of the four periods that make up certain games, as football and basketball.
- one fourth of a pound.
- one fourth of a mile; two furlongs.
- one fourth of a yard; 9 inches.
- a unit of weight: one fourth of a hundredweight. In the U.S. this equals 25 pounds and in Britain 28 pounds.
- a measure of capacity for grain, etc., equal to 8 bushels, or, locally, to approximately this.
- the region of any of the four principal points of the compass or divisions of the horizon.
- such a point or division.
- any point or direction of the compass: The wind is blowing in that quarter.
- a region, district, or place.
- a particular district of a city or town, especially one generally occupied by a particular group of people: the Turkish quarter; an artists' quarter.
- Usually quarters.
- housing accommodations, as a place of residence; lodgings.
- the buildings, houses, barracks, or rooms occupied by military personnel or their families.
- an unspecified part or member of a community, government, etc., that serves as a source of information or authority: He received secret information from a high quarter.
- mercy or indulgence, especially as shown in sparing the life and accepting the surrender of a vanquished enemy: to give quarter; to ask for quarter.
- one of the four parts, each including a leg, of the body or carcass of a quadruped.
- the part of a horse's hoof between heel and toe.
- the part of a boot or shoe on each side of the foot, from the middle of the back to the vamp.
- Nautical.
- the after part of a ship's side, usually from about the aftermost mast to the stern.
- the general horizontal direction 45° from the stern of a ship on either side: Another boat is coming near on the port quarter.
- one of the stations to which crew members are called for battle, emergencies, or drills.
- the part of a yard between the slings and the yardarm.
- quarter point.
- Heraldry.
- any of the four equal areas into which an escutcheon may be divided by a vertical and a horizontal line passing through the center.
- any of the variously numbered areas into which an escutcheon may be divided for the marshaling of different arms.
- any of the arms marshaled on an escutcheon.
- a charge occupying one quarter of an escutcheon, especially that in dexter chief.
- each half of a cask, consisting of the portion from the bilge to the top chime and the portion from the bilge to the bottom chime.
- to divide into four equal or equivalent parts.
- to divide into parts fewer or more than four: Quarter the pie into six pieces.
- to cut the body of (a person) into quarters, especially in executing for treason or the like.
- to make holes in, fix, etc., a quarter of a circle apart.
- to furnish with lodging in a particular place.
- to impose (soldiers) on persons, towns, etc., to be lodged and fed: He quartered his men with the farmer.
- to assign to a particular place for service, action, etc., as on a battleship.
- to traverse (the ground) from left to right and right to left while advancing, as dogs in search of game.
- Heraldry.
- to divide (an escutcheon) into four or more parts.
- to place or bear quarterly (different coats of arms, etc.) on an escutcheon.
- to display (a coat of arms) with one's own on an escutcheon.
- to take up, or be in quarters; lodge: to quarter in a cheap hotel.
- to range to and fro, as dogs in search of game.
- to sail so as to have the wind or sea on the quarter.
- being one of four equal or approximately equal parts into which anything is or may be divided.
- being equal to only about one fourth of the full measure.
- one of four equal or nearly equal parts of an object, quantity, amount, etc
- the fraction equal to one divided by four (1/4)
- a quarter of a dollar; 25-cent piece
- a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight. 1 US quarter is equal to 25 pounds; 1 Brit quarter is equal to 28 pounds
- short for quarter-hour
- a fourth part of a year; three months
- astronomy
- one fourth of the moon's period of revolution around the earth
- either of two phases of the moon, first quarter or last quarter when half of the lighted surface is visible from the earth
- a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a pound or 4 ounces
- a unit of capacity for grain, etc, usually equal to 8 UK bushels
- one of the four periods into which certain games are divided
- the part of a vessel's side towards the stern, usually aft of the aftermost mast
- the general direction along the water in the quadrant between the beam of a vessel and its stern
- a region or district of a town or city
- a region, direction, or point of the compass
- an unspecified person or group of people
- mercy or pity, as shown to a defeated opponent (esp in the phrases ask for or give quarter)
- any of the four limbs, including the adjacent parts, of the carcass of a quadruped or bird
- the side part of the wall of a horse's hoof
- the part of a shoe or boot covering the heel and joining the vamp
- one of four more or less equal quadrants into which a shield may be divided
- military slang short for quartermaster
- to divide into four equal or nearly equal parts
- to divide into any number of parts
- (esp formerly) to dismember (a human body)
- to billet or be billeted in lodgings, esp (of military personnel) in civilian lodgings
- (of gun dogs or hounds) to range over an area of ground in search of game or the scent of quarry
- (of the wind) to blow onto a vessel's quarter
- (tr) heraldry
- to divide (a shield) into four separate bearings with a cross
- to place (one set of arms) in diagonally opposite quarters to another
- being or consisting of one of four equal parts