📖 Q — The English dictionary · page 3

quaver — Everyday, meaning 1: (music, UK) A note that lasts half a beat in common time — half as long as a crotchet; in the USA it is called an eighth note.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) When a voice quavers, it shakes because the person is afraid, nervous, old or upset.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) A shake or tremble in the voice.↗ Example: A quaver lasts half as long as a crotchet.↗ · Two quavers make one beat in 4/4 time.↗ · Her voice quavered as she said goodbye.↗ · «Is anyone there?» he asked with a quaver in his voice.↗ · In America a quaver is called an eighth note.↗ · The quavers were joined together with a beam.↗ · The old man's voice quavered as he sang.↗ · A semibreve equals eight quavers.↗

quay — Everyday, meaning 1: A stone or concrete platform along the edge of water in a harbour, where boats stop to load and unload: «The fishing boats tied up at the quay.».↗ Example: The ferry waited at the quay.↗ · Fishermen unloaded their catch on the quay.↗ · We ate chips on the quay and watched the boats.↗ · Stand back from the edge of the quay.↗ · Old warehouses line the quayside.↗ · The tall ship was moored at the quay for the festival.↗ · The moment the merchant began praying the winds were stilled, the sea became calm, and the ship went sailing on prosperously to the quay.↗

queasy — Everyday, meaning 1: Queasy means feeling a little sick in your stomach, as if you might vomit.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Queasy can mean uneasy or uncomfortable about something.↗ Example: I felt queasy on the boat.↗ · Reading in the car makes me queasy.↗ · The roller coaster left him a bit queasy.↗ · She had a queasy feeling before the big test.↗ · Tell the teacher if you feel queasy.↗ · The smell of the bin made me queasy.↗

quechua — Everyday, meaning 1: Quechua is a family of languages spoken by millions of Indigenous people in the Andes mountains of South America, mostly in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The Quechua are the peoples who speak these languages.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Quechua was the main language of the Inca Empire.↗ Example: Quechua is spoken by millions of people in Peru and Bolivia.↗ · The Incas spoke Quechua.↗ · The word «llama» comes from Quechua.↗ · Many children in the Andes learn Quechua at home and Spanish at school.↗ · Quechua is an official language of Peru and Bolivia.↗ · Quechua farmers grow potatoes high in the mountains.↗ · Our class learned to say hello in Quechua: «Allillanchu?»↗

queen — Everyday, meaning 1: A queen is a woman who rules a country, usually because she was born into the royal family.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A queen is also the wife of a king.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In chess, the queen is the strongest piece; in cards, the queen is a picture card.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: A queen bee or queen ant is the one female that lays all the eggs in the colony.↗ Example: Queen Victoria ruled for over sixty years.↗ · The queen wore a gold crown.↗ · In chess, protect your queen!↗ · The queen bee lays thousands of eggs.↗ · In Snow White, the wicked queen had a magic mirror.↗ · I drew the queen of hearts from the pack.↗ · The king and queen waved from the balcony.↗ · The Queen gathered together the lilies.↗ · There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and maidens without number.↗ (Writings SNG.6.8, JPS 1917)↗ · So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.↗ (Writings EST.7.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Kings' daughters are among thy favourites; at thy right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir.↗ (Writings PSA.45.10, JPS 1917)↗

queer — Everyday, meaning 1: (old-fashioned) Strange or odd: «a queer noise», «I feel queer» (unwell).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (identity) Used by some people to describe themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or not fitting usual ideas of gender; this use is accepted by many today.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (offensive) For a long time it was used as an insult against gay people, and it can still hurt when used to mock someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (UK, informal, old) «Queer someone's pitch» means to spoil their plans.↗ Example: «What a queer thing!» said Alice.↗ · They were a queer-looking party on the bank.↗ · The Mole heard a queer whistling in the Wild Wood.↗ · I feel a bit queer after that ride.↗ · It was a queer, foggy day.↗ · Some people describe themselves as queer, and we respect the words people choose for themselves.↗ · Just before they reached the town, they saw a queer sight.↗

quell — Everyday, meaning 1: To quell is to put down a rising or rebellion by force.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To quell is to calm a strong feeling, such as fear or noise.↗ Example: The king sent soldiers to quell the rebellion.↗ · Mum tried to quell my fears before the dentist.↗ · The teacher quelled the noise in the hall.↗ · Theseus took action to quell the trouble.↗

quelled — Everyday, meaning 1: Quelled is the past form of quell: put down by force, or calmed.↗ Example: Oisin quelled Art Og in the fight.↗ · The rebellion was quelled by the king.↗ · My worry quelled when I saw Dad.↗ · The noise quelled at last.↗

quench — Everyday, meaning 1: To quench your thirst is to drink so you are no longer thirsty.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To quench a fire is to put it out with water.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) To quench hot metal is to cool it quickly in water or oil to make it hard.↗ Example: A glass of water quenched my thirst.↗ · Nothing quenches thirst like cold water.↗ · Firefighters quenched the flames.↗ · The blacksmith quenched the red-hot sword in water.↗ · Sugary drinks don't really quench your thirst.↗ · The rain quenched the dry earth.↗ · After football, we quenched our thirst with juice.↗ · The fire was quickly quenched.↗ · "A single bucket of water will not quench my thirst; give me more!"↗ · They give drink to every beast of the field, the wild asses quench their thirst.↗ (Writings PSA.104.11, JPS 1917)↗ · And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.'↗ (Prophets EZK.21.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.↗ (Prophets ISA.1.31, JPS 1917)↗

querulous — Everyday, meaning 1: Complaining in a whining, annoyed voice.↗ Example: The querulous old man complained about the noise.↗ · Her voice became querulous when she was tired.↗ · The child grew querulous on the long car journey.↗ · «Are we nearly there?» came a querulous voice.↗ · He made a querulous remark about the food.↗ · The querulous customer wanted his money back.↗

query — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: A query is a question asked to get an answer or to check something.↗ In Jewish tradition, meaning 2: To query is to ask about something or to doubt it.↗ Example: First, Spirit (query Akasa, Ether) then (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing this resource, we have taken steps to prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · I have a query about my sums.↗ · «How long have you been here?» was the next query.↗ · He queried the price on the bill.↗ · She queried the answer and checked it again.↗

quest — Everyday, meaning 1: A long search or journey to find or get something important: «a quest for the lost treasure».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A strong effort to achieve something: «the quest for a cure».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (games) A mission or task in a video game or story that the player must complete.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb, literary) To search for something.↗ Example: The knights set out on a quest to find the Holy Grail.↗ · Frodo's quest was to destroy the ring.↗ · Scientists continue their quest for a cure for cancer.↗ · I finished three side quests in the game today.↗ · Our quest to find the lost remote took all afternoon.↗ · Her quest for a gold medal took years of training.↗ · The Fox and the Hare are sent in quest of the magic fluid.↗

question — Everyday, meaning 1: A question is a sentence that asks something.↗ You answer a question.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A question is a problem on a test or quiz.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A question is a matter to think about or decide: «It's a question of time».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To question someone is to ask them many things, like the police do.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: To question something is to doubt it.↗ Example: The test has 20 questions.↗ · She got 17 questions right.↗ · Each question is worth 5 points.↗ · How many questions did he get wrong?↗ · Put up your hand if you have a question.↗ · A question ends with a question mark.↗ · Scientists start with a question and test their ideas.↗ · The police questioned the witness.↗ · Staying up all night is out of the question.↗ · Her mother had been questioning her.↗ · They then put the question, how came so many various beings into existence?↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗ · I do not pretend to be able to solve this difficult question.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · A solution to this question will be found in the Pythagorean dualism.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps.↗ (Writings 2CH.31.9, JPS 1917)↗ · And Solomon told her all her questions; there was not any thing hid from the king which he told her not.↗ (Prophets 1KI.10.3, JPS 1917)↗ · And Solomon told her all her questions; and there was not any thing hid from Solomon which he told her not.↗ (Writings 2CH.9.2, JPS 1917)↗

questioningly — Everyday, meaning 1: In a questioning way, showing that you want to know something or are not sure.↗ Example: They looked at each other questioningly.↗ · «Are you coming?» he asked questioningly.↗ · She raised her eyebrows questioningly.↗

queue — Everyday, meaning 1: A queue is a line of people waiting their turn.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To queue is to wait in a line.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A queue can also be a list of things waiting, like songs or print jobs.↗ Example: There are twenty-nine children in a queue.↗ · Tom is 8th in the queue.↗ · 5 more people join the queue.↗ · We queued for an hour to see the dinosaurs.↗ · Please queue up quietly for lunch.↗ · It is rude to jump the queue.↗ · The queue for the ice cream van was very long.↗ · Three songs are in the queue to play next.↗

quick — Everyday, meaning 1: Quick means fast; doing something or happening in a short time.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A quick person understands or reacts fast.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Quick can mean short and done without much time, like a quick look or a quick snack.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Alive, living; in the texts it means living flesh, not dead; today it means fast.↗ Example: That was a quick lunch; we only had ten minutes.↗ · Be quick, the bus is coming!↗ · She is quick at mental maths.↗ · Can I have a quick look at your book?↗ · Cheetahs are the quickest animals on land.↗ · He gave a quick answer without thinking.↗ · Let's do a quick check by rounding the numbers.↗ · Quick, close the gate before the dog gets out!↗ · Quick, Chuchundra, or I’ll bite you!”↗ · Or when the flesh hath in the skin thereof a burning by fire, and the quick flesh of the burning become a bright spot, reddish-white, or white; (Torah LEV.13.24, JPS 1917)↗ · And the priest shall look, and, behold, if there be a white rising in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising, (Torah LEV.13.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Or when the flesh hath in the skin thereof a burning by fire, and the quick flesh of the burning become a bright spot, reddish-white, or white;↗ (Torah LEV.13.24, JPS 1917) · Quick, Chuchundra, or I’ll bite you!”↗ (The Jungle Book) · And the priest shall look, and, behold, if there be a white rising in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising,↗ (Torah LEV.13.10, JPS 1917)