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260 entries found
quo warranto 
Medieval Latin, literally "by what warrant," from quo "from, with, or by whom or what?," ablative of interrogative pronoun quis "who?" (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns).
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quod 
"prison," c. 1700, a cant slang word of unknown origin; perhaps a variant of quad in the "building quadrangle" sense.
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quodlibet (n.)
"a nicety, subtlety," late 14c., Latin, literally "what you will, what you please," from quod "what," neuter of qui (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) + libet "it pleases" (from PIE root *leubh- "to care, desire, love").
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quoin (n.)
1530s, "a cornerstone," variant spelling of coin (n.); in early use also in other senses of that word, including "a wedge."
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quoit (n.)
late 14c., "curling stone," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old French coite "flat stone" (with which the game was originally played), literally "cushion," variant of coilte (see quilt (n.)). Quoits were among the games prohibited by Edward III and Richard II to encourage archery. In reference to a heavy flat iron ring (and the tossing game played with it) it is recorded from mid-15c.
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quoits (n.)
late 14c., coytes, "game played by throwing quoits;" see quoit.
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quondam (adj.)
"one-time, former," 1580s, from earlier use as an adverb ("formerly") and a noun ("former holder" of some office or position), both 1530s, from Latin quondam (adv.) "formerly, at some time, at one time; once in a while," from quom, cum "when, as" (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns) + demonstrative ending -dam.
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Quonset hut 
1942, from Quonset Point Naval Air Station, Rhode Island, where this type of structure was first built, 1941. The place name is from a southern New England Algonquian language and perhaps means "small, long place."
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quorate (adj.)
"attended by a quorum," 1969, from quorum + -ate (1).
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quorum (n.)
early 15c., in reference to certain eminent justices of the peace, from Latin quorum "of whom," genitive plural (masc. and neuter; fem. quarum) of qui "who" (from PIE root *kwo-, stem of relative and interrogative pronouns). The traditional wording of the commission appointing justices of the peace translates as, "We have also assigned you, and every two or more of you (of whom [quoram vos] any one of you the aforesaid A, B, C, D, etc. we will shall be one) our justices to inquire the truth more fully." The justices so-named usually were called the justices of the quorum. Meaning "fixed number of members whose presence is necessary to transact business" is first recorded 1610s.
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