From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishquarterquar‧ter1 /ˈkwɔːtə $ ˈkwɔːrtər/ ●●● S1 W2 noun [countable] 1 amountPART one of four equal parts into which something can be divided → half, thirda/one quarter (of something) a quarter of a mile roughly one quarter of the city’s population It’s about a page and a quarter.three quarters (of something) (=75%) three quarters of a million poundsthe first/second etc quarter in the last quarter of the 19th century Cut the cake into quarters. ► Say a quarter of something, not ‘quarter of’ something.2 part of an hourTMCTMC a period of 15 minutes I’ll meet you in a quarter of an hour. She arrived three quarters of an hour (=45 minutes) late.(a) quarter to (something) (also (a) quarter of (something) American English) (=15 minutes before the hour) It’s a quarter of two.(a) quarter past (something) British English (also (a) quarter after (something) American English) (=15 minutes after the hour) I’ll meet you at a quarter past ten.3 moneyPEC a coin used in the US and Canada worth 25 cents4 three monthsBTMC a period of three months, used especially when discussing business and financial mattersthe first/second/third/fourth quarter The company’s profits rose by 11% in the first quarter of the year. Our database is updated every quarter. → quarterly15 sport one of the four equal periods of time into which games of some sports are dividedthe first/second/third/fourth quarter The home side took the lead in the second quarter.6 part of a city [usually singular]TOWN an area of a town I found a small flat in the student quarter. Granada’s ancient Arab quarter a historic quarter of the city► see thesaurus at area 7 → quarters8 college American EnglishSEC one of the four periods into which a year at school or college is divided, continuing for 10 to 12 weeks → semester What classes are you taking this quarter?9 moonHATMC the period of time twice a month when you can see a quarter of the moon’s surface10 → in/from ... quarters11 → all quarters of the Earth/globe12 → give/receive no quarter → at close quarters at close2(20)
Examples from the Corpus
quarter• The article is about two and a quarter pages long.• It's valued at a quarter of a million pounds.• Group profits slumped by 40 percent to £16.9 million last year, of which houses contributed three-quarters and development, a quarter.• We rented a house in the Creole quarter of New Orleans.• The town was a cluster of different quarters, all living in fear of massacre.• The company's profits rose in the first quarter of the year.• Houston was ahead by 15 points at the end of the first quarter.• He sprinted 83 yards for the decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter.• Cut into quarters and arrange around brioche slices.• Cut the sandwiches into quarters.• The Dahdah palace is in the old Jewish quarter of Damascus.• Maybe a couple hours of quarter slots.• There were 327 children on the list on April 1, an increase of just two on the previous quarter.• The temple of Hera was built in the second quarter of the century, clearly under mainland influence.• She was back in Michigan in time to teach spring quarter.a/one quarter (of something)• There was a tributary creek that ran about a quarter of a mile from the encampment.• He was about a quarter of an inch long.• But violent crime has dropped by almost a quarter in the past three years.• A long-standing illness, disability or infirmity was reported by almost a quarter.• It isn't rare for a quarter of a million pounds to be spent on an act in one year.• One could hear it running for a quarter of a mile away because it was summer and the windows were all open.• The company says that it has received inquiries from about 470 companies, of which perhaps a quarter are potential customers.• Altogether, these small builders were responsible for little more than a quarter of the houses.a quarter of an hour• About a quarter of an hour later, traveling at the speed of light, that pulse would reach its destination.• He and co-driver Anthony Showell completed the nine-thousand seven hundred mile journey just a quarter of an hour ahead of the field.• I gave them a quarter of an hour's start, then got down and spent a little time looking for Rose.• If it normally takes you a quarter of an hour to shave, make it take you half an hour.• Pondering this would occupy a quarter of an hour, if not more.• They made a judgement on me in just over a quarter of an hour.• They should have been at the scene in a quarter of an hour.• We got there a quarter of an hour early, around nine in the morning. the first/second/third/fourth quarter• They lost because they simply gave away the third quarter in a thorough display of immaturity and sloppiness.• Some one apparently did get to the Raiders, who soared out to a 10-point lead in the third quarter.• Atriom Build will be available on Sun Sparc platforms in the fourth quarter, no prices given.• Pyramid said its cash flow remained positive in the fourth quarter.• It ships in the third quarter.• The Economics Ministry said today gross domestic product probably shrank in the fourth quarter of 1995.• In the first quarter of 1993, however, the company saw consolidated sales drop 14%.• In the third quarter, Radja went in for a layup and missed.the first/second/third/fourth quarter• They lost because they simply gave away the third quarter in a thorough display of immaturity and sloppiness.• Some one apparently did get to the Raiders, who soared out to a 10-point lead in the third quarter.• Atriom Build will be available on Sun Sparc platforms in the fourth quarter, no prices given.• Pyramid said its cash flow remained positive in the fourth quarter.• It ships in the third quarter.• The Economics Ministry said today gross domestic product probably shrank in the fourth quarter of 1995.• In the first quarter of 1993, however, the company saw consolidated sales drop 14%.• In the third quarter, Radja went in for a layup and missed.quarterquarter2 verb [transitive] 1 CUTto cut or divide something into four parts → halve Quarter the tomatoes and place them round the dish.2 formalDPM to provide someone with a place to sleep and eat, especially soldiers Our troops were quartered in Boston until June.Grammar Quarter is usually passive in this meaning.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
quarter• In the last few years Janir had quartered my involvement in sports, music and writing.• Quarter two large apples.From Longman Business Dictionaryquarterquar‧ter1 /ˈkwɔːtəˈkwɔːrtər/ noun [countable]1one of four equal parts into which something can be dividedThey’re firing almost a quarter of the workforce.A quarter of the project’s income comes from government grants.2a period of three months, especially in connection with bills, payments, and incomeWe will send you a bill every quarter.Sales in the fourth quarter rose 28% to $1.2 millionThe sales director of the SMMT expects sales in the final quarter to be below those in 1999.At the end of each financial quarter, the chief executive provides information on performance against targets. → see also quarterlies3a coin in the US and Canada, worth 25 centsquarterquarter2 verb [intransitive, transitive] if something quarters or is quartered, it decreases to a quarter of what it wasMergers and acquisitions fees have quartered in the past year.→ See Verb tableOrigin quarter1 (1200-1300) Old French quartier, from Latin quartarius, from quartus “fourth” 