querier
A chimney-sweep who calls from house to house soliciting employment,—formerly termed KNULLER, which see.
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questions and commands
An old Christmas game, in which the ''commander" bids one of his subjects to answer a question Which is asked. If he refuses, or fails to satisfy the com- mander, he must pay a forfeit or have his face smutted.
quey calves are dear veal
An old proverb, somewhat analogous to "killing the goose which lays the golden eggs." Female calves should be kept and reared for cows.
qui-hi
An English resident at Calcutta.—Anglo-Indian.
qui-tam
A solicitor. He who, i.e., "he who, as much for himself as for the King," seeks a conviction, the penalty for which goes half to the informer and half to the Crown. The term would, therefore, with greater propriety, be applied to a spy than to a solicitor.
quick and dirty
done rapidly and roughly, prioritizing speed over quality
quick and nimble
More like a bear than a squirrel. Jeeringly said to any one moving sluggishly on a business or errand that requires dispatch.
quick as a flash
Very fast.
quick as lightning
Extremely fast or quick
quick as thought
Very quick.
Quick at meat, quick at work. (Strauss, 1994 p. 1150)
Those who eat quickly will also work quickly
quick buck
Money earned quickly and easily, often in a dishonest way
quick off the mark
Reacting or responding rapidly to a situation
quick on one's feet
Able to think and react quickly in a situation
quick on the draw
Able to react or respond rapidly
quick on the uptake
Able to understand or learn things quickly
quick read
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
quick sticks
In a hurry, rapidly; "to cut QUICK STICKS," to start off hurriedly, or without more ado. See CUT ONE’S STICK.
quick study
Someone who learns quickly and easily
quid
The quantity of tobacco put into the mouth at one time. To quid tobacco; to chew tobacco. Quid est hoc? hoc est quid; a guinea. Half a quid; half a guinea. The swell tipped me fifty quid for the prad; the gentleman gave fifty pounds for the horse.
quid
Or THICK UN, a sovereign; "half a QUID," half a sovereign; QUIDS, money generally; "QUID for a QUOD," one good turn for another. The word is used by old French writers:—
quid-nunc
An inquisitive person, always seeking for news. The words translated simply signify, "What now?"
quidnunc
A politician: from a character of that name in the farce of the Upholsterer.
quids
Cash, money. Can you tip me any quids? can you lend me some money?
quids in
Extremely lucky; to have every- thing fall right.
quiet
"on the QUIET," clandestinely, so as to avoid observation, "under the rose."
quiet as a church mouse
Extremely quiet and still
quiet as a grave
Very quiet
quiet as a mouse
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
quiet quit
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
quiffing
Rogering. See TO ROGER.
quill driver
A clerk, scribe, or hackney writer.
quill-driver
A scrivener, a clerk,—satirical phrase similar to "steel bar driver," a tailor.
quiller
A parasite, a person who sucks neatly through a quill. See SUCK UP.
quim
The private parts of a woman: perhaps from the Spanish quemar, to burn. (CAMBRIDGE) A piece's furbelow.
quinsey
Choked by a hempen quinsey; hanged.
quipps
Girds, taunts, jests.
quips of the law
See CEPOLA. The laws of the Medes and Persians. Un- alterable laws.
quirks and quillets
Tricks and devices. Quirks in law; subtle distinctions and evasions.
quisby
Bankrupt, poverty-stricken. Amplification of QUEER.
quisi
Roguish, low, obscene.—Anglo-Chinese.
quit rent
A rent formerly paid by a tenant whereby he was released from feudal service. The term is still used of the small annual sum paid by some freeholders and copyholders in lieu of services due from them.
quit scores
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
quit the oxygen habit
To die.
quit while one is ahead
Stop an activity to preserve a favorable position
quitam
A quitam horse; one that will both carry and draw. LAW WIT.
quite a bit
a large amount or extent
quite a good player
Someone with a high level of skill
quite a long time
a considerable period
quite a lot
A large amount or quantity
quite a lot of something
A large amount or quantity of something
quite out of the running
Quite out of court, not worthy of consideration; like a horse which has been scratched for some race and so is not "in the running.
quite some
a large or significant amount
quite the kick
Quite a dandy. The Italians call a dandy a chic. The French chic means knack, as avoir le chic, to have the knack of doing a thing smartly.
quite washed out
Thoroughly exhausted, done up, with no strength or spirit left.
quiz
A strange-looking fellow, an odd dog. OXFORD.
quiz
A prying person, an odd fellow. Originally Oxford slang, but now general, and lately admitted into some dictionaries. See QUEER CUFFEN.
quizzing-glass
An eyeglass. This was applied to the old single eyeglass, which was not stuck in the eye, as now, but was held in the hand.
quo warranto
A writ against a defendant (whether an individual or a cor- poration) who lays claim to something he has no right to; so named because the offender is called upon to sh9W quo warranto (rerri) usurpavit (by what right or authority he lays claim to the matter of dispute.
quockerwodger
A wooden toy figure which, when pulled by a string, jerks its limbs about. The term is used in a slang sense, to signify a pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else.