quad

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1 1.1.1 Pronunciation 1.1.2 Noun 1.1.2.1 Related terms 1.1.3 Adjective 1.1.3.1 Translations 1.1.4 See also 1.2 Etymology 2 1.2.1 Alternative forms 1.2.2 Noun 1.2.2.1 Synonyms 1.2.2.2 Derived terms 1.2.3 Verb

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology 1

[edit] Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒd

[edit] Noun

quad (plural quads)

1. (informal) A quadrangle (courtyard).
2. (informal) A quadruplet (infant).
3. short for quadrilateral
4. (informal) A quadriceps muscle.
5. (coffee) Four shots of espresso.
6. A quad bike.

[edit] Related terms

• quad bike
• quad strip

[edit] Adjective

quad (not comparable)

1. (coffee) Having four shots of espresso.

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• quadr-, quadri-
• quadru-
• quin

[edit] Etymology 2

1785 Quads. pl, 1847 quads, verb 1876. From the abbreviation quad., for obsolete quadrat. Keyboard command is named for the verb sense.

[edit] Alternative forms

• quad. (obsolete)

[edit] Noun

quad (plural quads)

1. (letterpress typography) A blank metal block used to fill short lines of type.
   • 1853, Charles Dickens, “Household Words”, n 160 (April 16), p 148:

      “Quadrats, sir. We call 'em quads.” . . . Quads are the spaces left between the paragraphs that come white on the paper. If you look here, at this page that is set-up, you will see that they are deeper than the spaces left between the words and letters—regular little trenches.

   • 1979, Marshall Lee, Bookmaking, p 110:

     Horizontal spacing is further divided into multiples and fractions of the em. The multiples are called quads. The fractions are called spaces.

   • 2005, Phil Baines and Andrew Haslam, Type & Typography, 2nd ed, p 91:

     Other larger spaces – known as quads – were used to space out lines.

2. (printing slang) A joke used to fill long days of setting type.
3. (typography, phototypesetting and digital typesetting) A keyboard command which aligns text with the left or right margin, or centred between them. In combination, as quad left, quad right, or quad centre.

[edit] Synonyms

• em space
• quadrat (obsolete)

[edit] Derived terms

• em quad, 2-em quad, 3-em quad
• en quad
• mutton quad
• quad center, quad centre, quad left, quad middle, quad right

[edit] Verb

to quad (third-person singular simple present quads, present participle quadding, simple past and past participle quadded)

1. (letterpress typography, transitive or intransitive) To fill spaces in a line of type with quads. Also quad out.
2. (typography, phototypesetting and digital typesetting, transitive or intransitive) To align text with the left or right margin, or centre it.