Quahog
. See Clam
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Single-source entries: Q (2)
These 20 listings are so strange that each appears in only one of the 7 encyclopedias we compared. They include such classics as Quahog, Quakers, Quaking Grass.
Quain (Family of eminent medical men)
a family of eminent medical men. (1) JONES QUAIN, born in November, 1796, in Mallow, Ireland, studied medicine at Dublin and Paris, and in 1829 was appointed lecturer on anatomy and physiology in the Aldersgate School of Medicine, London. Two years later he was made Professor of Anatomy and Physiology at London University. He wrote Quain's "Elements of Anatomy." Jones Quain published also a series of elaborate "Anatomical Plates" (1858) and a translation of Martinet's "Pathology" (1835). He died in London, Jan. 27, 1865. (2) RICHARD
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quakers
. See Friends
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Quaking Grass
Briza, a genus of grasses. The species are few and mostly European. They are all very beautiful. B. maxima, a native of the S. of Europe, is often is often planted in flower gardens. B B. media, the only species common in Great Britain, growing in almost all kinds of poor soil, from the seacoast to an elevation of 1,500 feet, is of some value as a pasture grass, being very nutritious, although the quantity of herbage is scanty. The value of many poor pastures very much depends on it.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quamash
the North American name of Camassia esculenta, a plant of the lily family with an edible bulb. These bulbs are much eaten by the Indians, and are prepared by baking in a hole dug in the ground, then pounding and drying them into cakes for future use.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quantity
in grammar and prosody, the measure of a syllable or the time in which it is pronounced; the metrical value of syllables as regards length or weight in their pronunciation. In logic, extent to which the predicate in a proposition is asserted of the subject. In mathematics, anything that can be increased, diminished, and measured.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quaritch, Bernard
Bernard (1819-1899), a famous bookseller. He was born in a village of Prussian Saxony. He learned the bookseller's business with a firm in Berlin and established himself in London in 1846. In the following year he sent out his first list--a single page--of old books. His latest Catalog of Old Books and Manuscripts was issued in 1887-8 in seven volumes. He was a noted dealer in rare books, a well known figure at book auctions. His knowledge of binding and editions was remarkable. He paid and exacted fabulous prices for rare publications. The leading librarians, booklovers, collectors, and even royalty, were his patrons.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Quarles
FRANCIS, an English poet; born near Rumford , England, in in 1592; was educated at Cambridge, and entered at Lincoln's Inn. In 1621 went to Dublin, where he became under-secretary to Archbishop Ussher. He was driven from Ireland, with the loss of his wappointed chronologer to the city and property, by the rebellion of 1641, London. At the commencement of civil wars he wrote a work entitled the "Loyal Convert," which gave offense to the Parliament. Of the works of Quarles, in prose and verse, the most celebrated is his "Emblems," a set of Among designs illustrated by verses. are "Divine Poems," and his poems "Argalus and Parthenia ." His "Enchiridion" is a collection of brief essays and aphorisms. He died Sept. 8, 1644 .
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarnero
GULF OF, in the Adriatic Sea, between Istria and the Croatian coast, 15 miles in length and breadth. It is nearly inclosed to the leeward by the islands of Cherso and Veglia, and communicates with the Adriatic by three channels.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarter
a measure equal to the fourth part of a hundredweight-i. e., to 28 pounds avoirdupois . As a measure of capacity, for measuring grain, etc., a quarter contains eight bushels.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarter
that part of a ship's side which lies toward the stern , or which is comprehended between the aft-most end of the main chains and the sides of the stern. In heraldry, one of the divisions of a shield, when it is divided into four portions by horizontal and perpendicular lines meeting in the fesse point.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarter Day
in matters influenced by United States statutes quarter days are the 1st of January, April, July, and October. In the relation between landlord and tenant in some of the States they are the 1st of May, August, November, and February, respectively. In England it is the day which begins each quarter of the year. They are now Lady day (March 25), Midsummer day (June 24), Michaelmas day (September 29), and Christmas day ( December 25).
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarter Deck
in nautical language, a deck raised above the waist and extending from the stern to the mainmast.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarter Sessions
in England, a general court of criminal jurisdiction held in every county once in each quarter of a year before two or more justices of the peace, and before the recorder in boroughs. Its jurisdiction is confined to the smaller felonies and misdemeanors against the public, and certain matters rather of a civil than a criminal nature. In Scotland, a court held by the justices of the peace four times a year at the county towns. These courts have the power of reversing the sentences pronounced at the special and petty ses-- sions, when the sentence is of a nature subject to review.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quartern
a term sometimes used to designate the fourth of a peck, or of a stone; as the quartern loaf . In liquid measure it is the fourth part of a pint.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarterstaff
a stout staff used as a weapon of offense or defense. It was generally about 6½ feet long, and loaded with iron at each end.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quarto
name of the size of a book in which a sheet makes four leaves. Frequently abbreviated to 4to. Also a book formed by folding a sheet twice, making four leaves, eight pages. The term, by modern usage, refers to a book of nearly square form.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quartz
in mineralogy, a rhombohedral or hexagonal mineral, crystallizing mostly in hexagonal prisms with pyramidal terminations. Quartz is abundantly distributed, is an essential constituent of many rocks, notably granite, gneiss, various schists, and constitutes the larger part of mineral veins. Many of its varieties are largely employed in jewelry.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quartz Rock
the name applied to all rocks consisting essentially of massive quartz.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
Quartzite
A sedimentary sandstone which by metamorphic action has been converted into a hard rock possessing a highly refractory nature, for which reason it was formerly employed for constructing blast-furnace hearths, etc. See SAND-STONE.
Only in The Encyclopedia of Founding