quarter

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun One of four equal parts.
• noun A coin equal to one fourth of the dollar of the United States and Canada.
• noun One fourth of an hour; 15 minutes.
• noun One fourth of a year; three months.
• noun An academic term lasting approximately three months.
• noun One fourth of the period of the moon's revolution around Earth.
• noun One of the two phases of the moon at which the moon, as viewed from Earth, appears to be half illuminated by the sun. The quarter phases mark the quarter and three-quarter points of the moon's revolution about the Earth.
• noun Sports One of four equal periods of playing time into which some games, such as football and basketball, are divided.
• noun One fourth of a yard; nine inches.
• noun One fourth of a mile; two furlongs.
• noun One fourth of a pound; four ounces.
• noun One fourth of a ton; 500 pounds. Used as a measure of grain.
• noun Chiefly British A measure of grain equal to approximately eight bushels.
• noun One fourth of a hundredweight; 25 pounds.
• noun One fourth of a British hundredweight; 28 pounds.
• noun One of the four major divisions of the compass.
• noun One fourth of the distance between any two of the 32 divisions of the compass.
• noun One of the four major divisions of the horizon as determined by the four major points of the compass.
• noun A region or an area of the earth thought of as falling into such a specific division of the compass.
• noun Nautical The general direction on either side of a ship located 45° off the stern.
• noun The upper portion of the after side of a ship, usually between the aftermost mast and the stern.
• noun The part of a yard between the slings and the yardarm.
• noun Heraldry Any of four equal divisions of a shield.
• noun One leg of an animal's carcass, usually including the adjoining parts.
• noun Either side of a horse's hoof.
• noun The part of the side of a shoe between the heel and the vamp.
• noun A place of residence, especially the buildings or barracks used to house military personnel or their dependents.
• noun A proper or assigned station or place, as for officers and crew on a warship.
• noun A specific district or section, as of a city.
• noun An unspecified person or group.
• noun Mercy or clemency, especially when displayed or given to an enemy.
• adjective Being one of four equal or equivalent parts.
• adjective Being one fourth of a standard or usual value.
• intransitive verb To divide into four equal or equivalent parts.
• intransitive verb To quartersaw.
• intransitive verb To divide or separate into a number of parts.
• intransitive verb To dismember (a human body) into four parts.
• intransitive verb Heraldry To divide (a shield) into four equal areas with vertical and horizontal lines.
• intransitive verb To mark or place (holes, for example) a fourth of a circle apart.
• intransitive verb To locate and adjust (one machine part) at right angles to its connecting part within the machine.
• intransitive verb To furnish with housing.
• intransitive verb To traverse (an area of ground) laterally back and forth while slowly advancing forward.
• intransitive verb To take up or be assigned lodgings.