quartern
Americannoun
noun
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a fourth part of certain weights or measures, such as a peck or a pound
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Also called: quartern loaf.
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a type of loaf 4 inches square, used esp for making sandwiches
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any loaf weighing 1600 g when baked
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Etymology
Origin of quartern
1250–1300; Middle English quartroun, quartron, quartern < Old French quarteron, derivative of quart fourth. See quart 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I tasted it myself, because the municipality had made a great point of introducing it to the lower classes at twopence per quartern less than the first quality.
From An Englishman in Paris Notes and Recollections by Albert D.
The price of the quartern loaf rose to sixpence, in place of fivepence; but the wages of labourers on the land rose by nearly 25 per cent., and the demand exceeded the supply.
From The Message by Brock, H. M. (Henry Matthew)
Phoebe, how are we to live with the quartern loaf at one and tenpence?
From Quality Street A Comedy by Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew)
Bread was not within the power of the poor to obtain, as the quartern loaf, mixed with all sorts of deleterious ingredients, sold for twenty-one pence!
From Secret History of the Court of England, from the Accession of George the Third to the Death of George the Fourth, Volume I (of 2) Including, Among Other Important Matters, Full Particulars of the Mysterious Death of the Princess Charlotte by Hamilton, Lady Anne
Shop-windows were stoned that night in south and east London; but twenty-four hours later the price of the quartern loaf was 1s. 3d., and a man offering 1s. 2d. would go empty away.
From The Message by Brock, H. M. (Henry Matthew)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
