2. A set of four parts, things, or person; four things taken collectively; a group of four words, phrases,
circumstances, facts, or the like.
Delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers.
Acts xii. 4.
Ye elements, the eldest birth
Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run.
Milton.
The triads and quaternions with which he loaded his sentences.
Sir W. Scott. 3. A word of four syllables; a quadrisyllable.
4. (Math.) The quotient of two vectors, or of two directed right lines in space, considered as depending
on four geometrical elements, and as expressible by an algebraic symbol of quadrinomial form.
The science or calculus of quaternions is a new mathematical method, in which the conception of a
quaternion is unfolded and symbolically expressed, and is applied to various classes of algebraical,
geometrical, and physical questions, so as to discover theorems, and to arrive at the solution of problems.
Sir W. R. Hamilton.
Quaternion
(Qua*ter"ni*on), v. t. To divide into quaternions, files, or companies. Milton.
Quaternity
(Qua*ter"ni*ty) n. [LL. quaternitas, fr. L. quaterni four each: cf. F. quaternité.]
1. The number four. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
2. The union of four in one, as of four persons; — analogous to the theological term trinity.
Quateron
(Qua"ter*on) n. See 2d Quarteron.
Quatorzain
(Qua*torz"ain) n. [See Quatorze.] A poem of fourteen lines; a sonnet. R. H. Stoddard.
Quatorze
(Qua*torze") n. [F. quatorze fourteen, L. quattuordecim. See Fourteen.] The four aces,
kings, queens, knaves, or tens, in the game of piquet; — so called because quatorze counts as fourteen
points.
Quatrain
(Quat"rain) n. [F., fr. quatre four, L. quattuor, quatuor. See Four.] (Pros.) A stanza of four
lines rhyming alternately. Dryden.
Quatre
(Qua"tre) n. [F.] A card, die. or domino, having four spots, or pips
Quatrefeuille
(Qua"tre*feuille Qua"tre*foil) n. [F. quatre feuilles.] Same as Quarterfoil.
Quatuor
(Quat"u*or) n. [F., fr. L. quattuor, quatuor, four. See Quartet.] (Mus.) A quartet; — applied
chiefly to instrumental compositions.
Quave
(Quave) n. See Quaver. [Obs.]
Quave
(Quave), v. i. To quaver. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
Quavemire
(Quave"mire`) n. See Quagmire. [Obs.]
Quaver
(Qua"ver), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Quavered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Quavering.] [OE. quaven to shake,
to tremble; cf. LG. quabbeln to shake, to be soft, of fat substances, quabbe a fat lump of flesh, a dewlap,
D. kwabbe, and E. quiver, v.]
1. To tremble; to vibrate; to shake. Sir I. Newton.
