¦ noun
1. each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided.
2. a period of three months, used especially in reference to financial transactions.
chiefly US each of four terms into which a school or university year may be divided.
3. a quarter-hour.
4. (quarters) the haunches or hindquarters of a horse.
5. a US or Canadian coin worth 25 cents.
6. one fourth of a pound weight (avoirdupois, equal to 4 ounces).
one fourth of a hundredweight (Brit. 28 lb or US 25 lb).
Brit. a grain measure equivalent to 8 bushels.
7. a part of a town or city with a specific character or use.
8. the direction of one of the points of the compass.
9. either side of a ship aft of the beam.
10. a person, group, area, etc. regarded as the source of something: help from an unexpected quarter.
11. (quarters) rooms or lodgings.
12. (in combat) pity or mercy.
13. Heraldry each of four or more roughly equal divisions of a shield.
a square charge covering the top left quarter of the field.
¦ verb
1. divide into quarters.
historical cut the body of (an executed person) into four parts.
2. (be quartered) be stationed or lodged.
3. range over (an area) in all directions.
4. Heraldry display (different coats of arms) in quarters of a shield.
Origin
ME: from OFr. quartier, from L. quartarius 'fourth part of a measure', from quartus 'fourth', from quattuor 'four'.