quod

English

Etymology

First attested circa 1700. Origin unknown.

Alternative forms

• quad

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒd

Noun

quod (plural quods)

1. (countable) A quadrangle or court, as of a prison; a prison.
   • 1863, Punch, quoted in 1995, Seán McConville, English Local Prisons, 1860-1900: Next Only to Death, page 69,

     […] not the poorer classes merely, but the rich will be desirous to enjoy the mingled luxury and comfort of a gaol: and we shall hear of blasé Swells become burglars and garotters as a prelude to a prison, and, instead of taking tours for restoration of their health, recruiting it more cheaply by a residence in quod.

   • 1878, John Wrathall Bull, Early Experiences of Colonial Life in South Australia, page 264,

     […] and declined their escort, desiring to be conducted to “quod” by the gallant South Australian police, […] .

   • 2000, R.I.C. Publications, Workbook E: Society and Environment, page 48,

     From 1855-1903 a chapel was built, the boat shed and holding cell constructed, Government House was constructed as a summer residence for the Governor and the Quod (slang for prison) was constructed.

   • 2006, Pip Wilson, Faces in the Street: Louisa and Henry Lawson and the Castlereagh Street Push, page 202,

     Pity McNamara′s still doing his stretch in the quod, but he′ll be out soon.

2. (uncountable, Australia, slang) Confinement in a prison.
   • circa 1894, Acquaintance of Norman Lindsay, quoted in 2005, James Cockington, Banned: Tales From the Bizarre History of Australian Obscenity, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, paperback ISBN 0-7333-1502-X, page 7,

     I don′t suppose you'll get more than a couple of months′ quod for them.

Translations

a prison

• Russian: тюрьма (ru) (tjur’má) f, тюряга (ru) (turjága) f

Verb

quod

1. (obsolete) Quoth.
   • 14thC, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Summoner′s Prologue and Tale, The Canterbury Tales, 2009, Robert Boenig, Andrew Taylor (editors), The Canterbury Tales: A Selection, page 190,

     “No fors,” quod he, “but tel me al youre grief.”

   • 1563, John Foxe, Actes and Monuments, 1868, The Church Historians of England: Reformation Period, Volume 8, Part 1, page 422,

     “Why,” quod her friend, “would ye not willingly have gone with your company, if God should so have suffered it?”

   • 1908, James Gairdner, Lollardy and the Reformation in England: An Historical Survey, 2010, Cambridge University Press, page 416,

     “And therefore I have granted to their request,” quod the King; […] .

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Latin

Etymology

Inflection of quī (“who, which”), corresponding to Proto-Indo-European *kʷod, whence also Old English hwæt (English what).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /kʷod/

• Audio (Classical)

  (file)

Pronoun

quod

1. nominative neuter singular of quī
2. accusative neuter singular of quī

Conjunction

quod

1. which
2. because

Related terms

• quid

Descendants

• Aromanian: cã
• Dalmatian: co
• Italian: che
• Romanian: că