Quiritation
(Quir`i*ta"tion) n. [L. quiritatio, fr. quiritare to raise a plaintive cry, v. freq. fr. queri to
complain.] A crying for help. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
Quirite
(Qui"rite) n. One of the Quirites.
Quirites
(||Qui*ri"tes) n. pl. [L., fr. Cures, a Sabine town.] (Rom. Antiq.) Roman citizens.
After the Sabines and Romans had united themselves into one community, under Romulus, the name
of Quirites was taken in addition to that of Romani, the Romans calling themselves in a civil capacity
Quirites, while in a political and military capacity they retained the name of Romani. Andrews.
Quirk
(Quirk) n. [Written also querk.] [Cf. W. chwiori to turn briskly, or E. queer.]
1. A sudden turn; a starting from the point or line; hence, an artful evasion or subterfuge; a shift; a quibble; as,
the quirks of a pettifogger. "Some quirk or . . . evasion." Spenser.
We ground the justification of our nonconformity on dark subtilties and intricate quirks.
Barrow. 2. A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice. [Obs.] "Quirks of joy and grief." Shak.
3. A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.
Some odd quirks and remnants of wit.
Shak. 4. An irregular air; as, light quirks of music. Pope.
5. (Building) A piece of ground taken out of any regular ground plot or floor, so as to make a court,
yard, etc.; — sometimes written quink. Gwilt.
6. (Arch.) A small channel, deeply recessed in proportion to its width, used to insulate and give relief
to a convex rounded molding.
Quirk molding, a bead between two quirks.
