English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

quickens

verb

Third-person singular present tense of quicken: makes or becomes faster.

quickfire

noun

A fast-moving fire that spreads rapidly through dry vegetation.

quickie

noun

Something done or made in a short amount of time.

quicklime

noun

Quicklime is calcium oxide, a substance made by heating limestone and turned into slaked lime when water is added to it.

quickly

adv

Rapidly; at speed.

quickness

noun

Speed in moving or acting, or skill and nimbleness.

quicksand

noun

Wet, loose sand that looks solid but gives way and traps anything that steps into it, often found near rivers or shorelines.

quicksilver

noun

An old name for the metal mercury.

quicksome

adj

(dated) Fast and nimble.

quid

noun

Informal British term for one pound sterling.

quid pro quo

noun

A favour, advantage or payment given in return for something else, on the understanding that each side gets something from the exchange.

quidditch

noun

An imaginary sport in which two teams of seven players fly on broomsticks, using four balls and aiming at six raised, ring-shaped goals.

quiddity

noun

The fundamental character that makes a person or thing what it is.

quidnunc

noun

Someone who is keen to hear the latest news and gossip.

quiesce

verb

To grow quiet or calm.

quiescence

noun

(formal) The state of being inactive or dormant.

quiescent

adj

Not active; calm and still.

quiet

adj

Making little or no sound.

quieten

verb

To make quiet, or to become quiet.

quieter

adj

Comparative form of \"quiet\": having less noise or activity than something else.

quietly

adv

In a manner that makes little noise or draws little attention.

quietness

noun

A lack of noise; silence.

quietude

noun

Another word for quietness, meaning an absence of sound.

quietus

noun

(literary) A pause or stillness, or something that brings an end to activity.

quiff

noun

(dialect) A puff of smoke, especially from tobacco.

Quigley

name

A surname of Irish origin.

quill

noun

The hollow central shaft of a bird's feather.

quilt

noun

A bed covering made of two layers of fabric stitched together with padding in between, often patterned.

quim

noun

A woman's genitals.

Quimby

name

An English surname.

quin

noun

A type of scallop found in European waters that people eat.

quince

noun

A hard, pear-shaped fruit related to apples and pears, usually cooked before eating.

Quincey

name

An English surname, a variant of Quincy.

Quincy

noun

A dry white wine made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes grown near Quincy in France's Loire Valley.

quinine

noun

A bitter compound extracted from cinchona bark, used to treat malaria and to flavour tonic water.

Quinlan

name

A surname of Irish origin; also a city in Texas.

Quinn

name

A surname of Irish origin, meaning "descendant of Chief"; also used as a male or female given name.

quinoa

noun

A grain-like plant native to the Andes, grown for its edible seeds.

quinquangle

noun

Another word for a pentagon, the five-sided, five-angled shape.

quint

noun

Short for quintuplet: one of five children born in the same birth.

Quintana

name

A surname of Spanish origin.

quintate

verb

To take away or destroy a fifth part of something.

quintessence

noun

The best and most typical example of something.

quintessential

adj

Representing the most perfect or typical example of something.

quintet

noun

A piece of music written for five performers.

quintillion

num

A word for one of two extremely large numbers, depending on how it's counted.

quintin

name

A male first name of Latin origin.

Quinton

noun

A now largely obsolete stringed instrument with five strings, related to the violin.

quintuplet

noun

A group of five things, especially, in music, five notes played in the time normally taken by four.

quintus

noun

In early vocal music, a fifth voice part added above or alongside the standard four-part texture of superius, altus, tenor, and bassus.

quinzhee

noun

A shelter made by digging out the inside of a heap of snow.

quip

noun

A short, clever, often slightly cutting remark made quickly in conversation.

quirk

noun

An odd or unusual habit, feature, or trait.

Quirke

name

A family name of Irish and Manx origin.

quirkiness

noun

The quality of being quirky.

quirkle

noun

A puzzle, especially one where the answer relies on a trick or a play on words.

quirky

adj

Unusual or eccentric in an appealing, offbeat way.

quirt

noun

A short riding whip made of braided leather.

quisby

noun

A lazy or worthless person.

quisle

verb

To work together with an enemy force that has taken over your country.

quisling

noun

Someone who betrays their own country by helping an enemy.

quit

verb

To resign from a job or position.

quite

adv

Completely or entirely.

Quito

name

The capital city of Ecuador.

quits

adjective

Even with someone, with no debt or grudge left on either side.

quittal

noun

Payment given in return for something, or repayment of a debt.

quittance

noun

Being set free from a duty, charge or obligation.

quitter

noun

Someone who gives up too easily instead of finishing what they started.

quitting

noun

The act of stopping or leaving something for good.

quiver

noun

A case for carrying arrows.

quivering

adjective

Shaking with small, rapid movements.

Quixote

noun

A person who is idealistic and chivalrous to the point of being impractical.

quiz

noun

A short test of knowledge, often informal or for fun.

quizzer

noun

Someone who asks a lot of questions.

quizzical

adj

Looking or sounding as though you are puzzled.

quizzy

adj

Strange or unusual.

quo

noun

The "that" half of the phrase "quid pro quo" — something given in return for something else.

quoin

noun

One of the stones or blocks that form the corner of a building, often bigger or fancier than the rest.

quoit

noun

A flat disc of metal or stone thrown at a target in the game of quoits.

quondam

adj

Former, or belonging to an earlier time.

quorum

noun

The minimum number of members who must be present for a group to conduct official business or hold a valid vote.

quota

noun

A fixed share or amount that someone is required, allowed, or expected to reach.

quotation

noun

Someone else's words repeated exactly, usually from a book, speech, or famous person.

quote

noun

A short passage of words repeated from someone else.

quotidian

adj

Happening or done every single day.

quotient

noun

The result you get when one number is divided by another.

quoting

noun

A statement repeated word for word from another source.

Qureshi

name

A surname of Arabic origin.

qwon

name

A surname of Chinese, a variant of Kwon origin.