quarto | (noun) the size of a book whose pages are made by folding a sheet of paper twice to form four leaves | Synonyms: 4to |
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quartz | (noun) a hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form; present in most rocks (especially sandstone and granite); yellow sand is quartz with iron oxide impurities | - |
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(noun) colorless glass made of almost pure silica | Synonyms: crystal, lechatelierite, quartz glass, vitreous silica |
quartzite | (noun) hard metamorphic rock consisting essentially of interlocking quartz crystals | - |
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quasar | (noun) a starlike object that may send out radio waves and other forms of energy; many have large red shifts | Synonyms: quasi-stellar radio source |
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quasiparticle | (noun) a quantum of energy (in a crystal lattice or other system) that has position and momentum and can in some respects be regarded as a particle | - |
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quassia | (noun) handsome South American shrub or small tree having bright scarlet flowers and yielding a valuable fine-grained yellowish wood; yields the bitter drug quassia from its wood and bark | Synonyms: bitterwood, Quassia amara |
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(noun) a bitter compound used as an insecticide and tonic and vermifuge; extracted from the wood and bark of trees of the genera Quassia and Picrasma | - |
quat | (noun) the leaves of the shrub Catha edulis which are chewed like tobacco or used to make tea; has the effect of a euphoric stimulant | Synonyms: African tea, Arabian tea, cat, kat, khat, qat |
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quatercentenary | (noun) the 400th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quatercentennial |
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quatercentennial | (noun) the 400th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quatercentenary |
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quatern | (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one | Synonyms: 4, four, foursome, IV, Little Joe, quadruplet, quartet, quaternary, quaternion, quaternity, tetrad |
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quaternary | (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one | Synonyms: 4, four, foursome, IV, Little Joe, quadruplet, quartet, quatern, quaternion, quaternity, tetrad |
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quaternion | (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one | Synonyms: 4, four, foursome, IV, Little Joe, quadruplet, quartet, quatern, quaternary, quaternity, tetrad |
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quaternity | (noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one | Synonyms: 4, four, foursome, IV, Little Joe, quadruplet, quartet, quatern, quaternary, quaternion, tetrad |
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quatrain | (noun) a stanza of four lines | - |
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quattrocento | (noun) the 15th century in Italian art and literature | - |
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quaver | (noun) a musical note having the time value of an eighth of a whole note | Synonyms: eighth note |
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(noun) a tremulous sound | - |
quay | (noun) wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline | - |
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quayage | (noun) a fee charged for the use of a wharf or quay | Synonyms: wharfage |
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queasiness | (noun) inability to rest or relax or be still | Synonyms: restlessness, uneasiness |
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(noun) a mild state of nausea | Synonyms: qualm, squeamishness |
queen | (noun) the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs | - |
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(noun) an especially large mole rat and the only member of a colony of naked mole rats to bear offspring which are sired by only a few males | Synonyms: queen mole rat |
(noun) female cat | Synonyms: tabby |
(noun) (chess) the most powerful piece | - |
(noun) one of four face cards in a deck bearing a picture of a queen | - |
(noun) a female sovereign ruler | Synonyms: female monarch, queen regnant |
(noun) the wife or widow of a king | - |
(noun) offensive term for a homosexual man | Synonyms: fag, faggot, fagot, fairy, nance, pansy, poof, poove, pouf, queer |
(noun) something personified as a woman who is considered the best or most important of her kind | - |
(noun) a female competitor who holds a preeminent position | - |
queenfish | (noun) silvery and bluish drumfish of shallow California coastal waters | Synonyms: Seriphus politus, white croaker |
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queer | (noun) offensive term for a homosexual man | Synonyms: fag, faggot, fagot, fairy, nance, pansy, poof, poove, pouf, queen |
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queerness | (noun) a sexual attraction to (or sexual relations with) persons of the same sex | Synonyms: gayness, homoeroticism, homosexualism, homosexuality |
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(noun) a strange attitude or habit | Synonyms: crotchet, oddity, quirk, quirkiness |
quelling | (noun) forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority | Synonyms: crushing, stifling, suppression |
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quellung | (noun) the swelling of the capsule surrounding a microorganism after reaction with an antibody; the basis of certain tests for identifying microorganisms | Synonyms: quellung reaction |
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quenching | (noun) the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning | Synonyms: extinction, extinguishing |
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quercitron | (noun) medium to large deciduous timber tree of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada having dark outer bark and yellow inner bark used for tanning; broad five-lobed leaves are bristle-tipped | Synonyms: black oak, quercitron oak, Quercus velutina, yellow oak |
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(noun) a yellow dye made from the bark of the quercitron oak tree | - |
querier | (noun) someone who asks a question | Synonyms: asker, enquirer, inquirer, questioner |
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quern | (noun) a primitive stone mill for grinding corn by hand | - |
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querulousness | (noun) the quality of being given to complaining | - |
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query | (noun) an instance of questioning | Synonyms: enquiry, inquiry, interrogation, question |
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quesadilla | (noun) a tortilla that is filled with cheese and heated | - |
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quest | (noun) the act of searching for something | Synonyms: seeking |
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(noun) a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria | Synonyms: pursuance, pursuit |
quester | (noun) someone making a search or inquiry | Synonyms: searcher, seeker |
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question | (noun) uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something | Synonyms: doubt, doubtfulness, dubiousness |
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(noun) an instance of questioning | Synonyms: enquiry, inquiry, interrogation, query |
(noun) the subject matter at issue | Synonyms: head |
(noun) a formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote | Synonyms: motion |
(noun) a sentence of inquiry that asks for a reply | Synonyms: interrogation, interrogative, interrogative sentence |
(noun) an informal reference to a marriage proposal | - |
questioner | (noun) someone who asks a question | Synonyms: asker, enquirer, inquirer, querier |
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questioning | (noun) a request for information | Synonyms: inquiring |
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questionnaire | (noun) a form containing a set of questions; submitted to people to gain statistical information | - |
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quetzal | (noun) large trogon of Central America and South America having golden-green and scarlet plumage | Synonyms: quetzal bird |
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(noun) the basic unit of money in Guatemala; equal to 100 centavos | - |
queue | (noun) a braid of hair at the back of the head | - |
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(noun) (information processing) an ordered list of tasks to be performed or messages to be transmitted | - |
(noun) a line of people or vehicles waiting for something | Synonyms: waiting line |
quiaquia | (noun) small fusiform fish of western Atlantic | Synonyms: cigarfish, Decapterus punctatus, round scad |
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quibble | (noun) an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections | Synonyms: cavil, quiddity |
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quibbler | (noun) a disputant who quibbles; someone who raises annoying petty objections | Synonyms: caviler, caviller, pettifogger |
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quiche | (noun) a tart filled with rich unsweetened custard; often contains other ingredients (as cheese or ham or seafood or vegetables) | - |
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quick | (noun) any area of the body that is highly sensitive to pain (as the flesh underneath the skin or a fingernail or toenail) | - |
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quickener | (noun) an agent that gives or restores life or vigor | Synonyms: enlivener, invigorator |
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quickening | (noun) the act of accelerating; increasing the speed | Synonyms: acceleration, speedup |
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(noun) the process of showing signs of life | - |
(noun) the stage of pregnancy at which the mother first feels the movements of the fetus | - |
quickie | (noun) hurried repair | Synonyms: band aid, quick fix, quicky |
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quicklime | (noun) a white crystalline oxide used in the production of calcium hydroxide | Synonyms: burnt lime, calcined lime, calcium oxide, calx, fluxing lime, lime, unslaked lime |
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quickness | (noun) a rate that is rapid | Synonyms: celerity, rapidity, rapidness, speediness |
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(noun) intelligence as revealed by an ability to give correct responses without delay | Synonyms: mental quickness, quick-wittedness |
(noun) skillful performance or ability without difficulty | Synonyms: adeptness, adroitness, deftness, facility |
quicksand | (noun) a pit filled with loose wet sand into which objects are sucked down | - |
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(noun) a treacherous situation that tends to entrap and destroy | - |
quickset | (noun) cuttings of plants set in the ground to grow as hawthorn for hedges or vines | - |
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quicksilver | (noun) a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures | Synonyms: atomic number 80, Hg, hydrargyrum, mercury |
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quickstep | (noun) a ballroom dance with both quick and slow steps | - |
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(noun) military march accompanying quick time | - |
quicky | (noun) hurried repair | Synonyms: band aid, quick fix, quickie |
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quid | (noun) a wad of something chewable as tobacco | Synonyms: chaw, chew, cud, plug, wad |
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(noun) something for something; that which a party receives (or is promised) in return for something he does or gives or promises | Synonyms: quid pro quo |
(noun) the basic unit of money in Great Britain and Northern Ireland; equal to 100 pence | Synonyms: British pound, British pound sterling, pound, pound sterling |
quiddity | (noun) the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is and makes it different from any other | Synonyms: haecceity |
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(noun) an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections | Synonyms: cavil, quibble |
quidnunc | (noun) a person who meddles in the affairs of others | Synonyms: busybody, nosey-parker, nosy-parker |
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quiescence | (noun) quiet and inactive restfulness | Synonyms: dormancy, quiescency, sleeping |
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(noun) a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction | Synonyms: dormancy, quiescency |
quiescency | (noun) quiet and inactive restfulness | Synonyms: dormancy, quiescence, sleeping |
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(noun) a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction | Synonyms: dormancy, quiescence |
quiet | (noun) a disposition free from stress or emotion | Synonyms: placidity, repose, serenity, tranquility, tranquillity |
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(noun) the absence of sound | Synonyms: silence |
(noun) a period of calm weather | Synonyms: lull |
(noun) an untroubled state; free from disturbances | Synonyms: tranquility, tranquillity |
quietism | (noun) a form of religious mysticism requiring withdrawal from all human effort and passive contemplation of God | - |
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quietist | (noun) a religious mystic who follows quietism | - |
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quietness | (noun) the property of making no sound | Synonyms: soundlessness |
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(noun) a state of peace and quiet | Synonyms: quietude, tranquility, tranquillity |
quietude | (noun) a state of peace and quiet | Synonyms: quietness, tranquility, tranquillity |
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quietus | (noun) euphemisms for death (based on an analogy between lying in a bed and in a tomb) | Synonyms: eternal rest, eternal sleep, rest, sleep |
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quiff | (noun) a prominent forelock (especially one brushed upward from the forehead) | - |
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quill | (noun) a stiff hollow protective spine on a porcupine or hedgehog | - |
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(noun) the hollow spine of a feather | Synonyms: calamus, shaft |
(noun) any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird | Synonyms: flight feather, pinion, quill feather |
(noun) pen made from a bird's feather | Synonyms: quill pen |
quillwort | (noun) any of several spore-bearing aquatic or marsh plants having short rhizomes and leaves resembling quills; worldwide except Polynesia | - |
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quilt | (noun) bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together | Synonyms: comfort, comforter, puff |
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quilting | (noun) a material used for making a quilt, or a quilted fabric | - |
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(noun) stitching through layers of fabric and a filling so as to create a design | - |
quin | (noun) one of five children born at the same time from the same pregnancy | Synonyms: quint, quintuplet |
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quinacrine | (noun) a drug (trade name Atabrine) used to treat certain worm infestations and once used to treat malaria | Synonyms: Atabrine, mepacrine, quinacrine hydrochloride |
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quince | (noun) aromatic acid-tasting pear-shaped fruit used in preserves | - |
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(noun) small Asian tree with pinkish flowers and pear-shaped fruit; widely cultivated | Synonyms: Cydonia oblonga, quince bush |
quincentenary | (noun) the 500th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quincentennial |
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quincentennial | (noun) the 500th anniversary (or the celebration of it) | Synonyms: quincentenary |
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quinidine | (noun) cardiac drug (trade names Quinidex and Quinora) used to treat certain heart arrhythmias | Synonyms: Quinidex, Quinora |
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quinine | (noun) a bitter alkaloid extracted from chinchona bark; used in malaria therapy | - |
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quinone | (noun) any of a class of aromatic yellow compounds including several that are biologically important as coenzymes or acceptors or vitamins; used in making dyes | Synonyms: benzoquinone |
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quinquennium | (noun) a period of five years | - |
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quinsy | (noun) a painful pus filled inflammation of the tonsils and surrounding tissues; usually a complication of tonsillitis | Synonyms: peritonsillar abscess |
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quint | (noun) one of five children born at the same time from the same pregnancy | Synonyms: quin, quintuplet |
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(noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one | Synonyms: 5, cinque, fin, five, fivesome, Little Phoebe, pentad, Phoebe, quintet, quintuplet, V |
quintal | (noun) a United States unit of weight equivalent to 100 pounds | Synonyms: cental, centner, cwt, hundredweight, short hundredweight |
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(noun) a unit of weight equal to 100 kilograms | - |
quintessence | (noun) the purest and most concentrated essence of something | - |
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(noun) the most typical example or representative of a type | - |
(noun) the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies | Synonyms: ether |
quintet | (noun) a musical composition for five performers | Synonyms: quintette |
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(noun) five people considered as a unit | Synonyms: fivesome, quintette |
(noun) a set of five similar things considered as a unit | Synonyms: quintette, quintuple, quintuplet |
(noun) five performers or singers who perform together | Synonyms: quintette |
(noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one | Synonyms: 5, cinque, fin, five, fivesome, Little Phoebe, pentad, Phoebe, quint, quintuplet, V |
quintette | (noun) a musical composition for five performers | Synonyms: quintet |
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(noun) five people considered as a unit | Synonyms: fivesome, quintet |
(noun) a set of five similar things considered as a unit | Synonyms: quintet, quintuple, quintuplet |
(noun) five performers or singers who perform together | Synonyms: quintet |
quintillion | (noun) the number that is represented as a one followed by 18 zeros in the US | - |
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quintillionth | (noun) one part in a quintillion equal parts | Synonyms: one-quintillionth |
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quintipara | (noun) (obstetrics) woman who has given birth to a viable infant in each of five pregnancies | - |
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quintuple | (noun) a set of five similar things considered as a unit | Synonyms: quintet, quintette, quintuplet |
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quintuplet | (noun) a set of five similar things considered as a unit | Synonyms: quintet, quintette, quintuple |
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(noun) one of five children born at the same time from the same pregnancy | Synonyms: quin, quint |
(noun) the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one | Synonyms: 5, cinque, fin, five, fivesome, Little Phoebe, pentad, Phoebe, quint, quintet, V |
quintupling | (noun) increasing by a factor of five | - |
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quip | (noun) witty remark | Synonyms: crack, sally, wisecrack |
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(noun) a witty saying | Synonyms: epigram |
quipu | (noun) calculator consisting of a cord with attached cords; used by ancient Peruvians for calculating and keeping records | - |
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quira | (noun) any of several tropical American trees some yielding economically important timber | - |
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(noun) hard heavy red wood of a quira tree | Synonyms: Panama redwood |
quire | (noun) a quantity of paper; 24 or 25 sheets | - |
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quirk | (noun) a narrow groove beside a beading | - |
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(noun) a strange attitude or habit | Synonyms: crotchet, oddity, queerness, quirkiness |
quirkiness | (noun) a strange attitude or habit | Synonyms: crotchet, oddity, queerness, quirk |
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quirt | (noun) whip with a leather thong at the end | - |
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quisling | (noun) someone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force | Synonyms: collaborationist, collaborator |
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