1127
qualification
Q,q
Q, q /kju:/ pl. Q's, q's n [C,U] the 17th letter of the English
alphabet
Q., q. also Q, q BrE abbrev. for question → see also mind one's
p's and q's (MIND²)
Qad-daf-i, Qadhafi /gə'dæfi||-'da:-/ → see GADDAFI
Qan-tas /'kwɒntæs||'kwɑ:n-/ an Australian AIRLINE
Qa-tar /kə'tɑ:||'kɑ:tər/ a country in the Middle East, east of
Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by an EMIR (=a type of king).
Population: 522,023 (1997). Capital: Doha. Qatar is mostly
desert, but it produces a lot of oil.
QC /,kju: 'si:/ n Queen's Counsel; in the British legal system, a
high-ranking BARRISTER (=a lawyer who represents people in
court) who deals with serious cases in the higher courts. The
letters QC are often used after someone's name to show that
they have this position. This title is used when a queen is
ruling, and it changes to 'KC' when a king is ruling: A senior
QC is studying the police report. | Cherie Booth, QC → see
also SILK
QE2, the /,kju: i: 'tu:/ a large passenger ship owned by the
CUNARD company which sails between Southampton in
southern England and New York, and also takes passengers
on CRUISES (=sea journeys for pleasure) all over the world. It
is considered to be a very comfortable and expensive way to
travel. → see also QM2
QED /,kju: i: 'di:/ the abbreviation of the Latin phrase quod
erat demonstrandum, used to say that a fact, event etc
proves that what you say is true
QM2, the /,kju: em 'tu:/ also the Queen Mary 2 a
CRUISE SHIP (=large ship with restaurants, bars etc that
people have holidays on), built in 2003 for the CUNARD
company to replace the QE2. It is the largest and most
expensive passenger ship ever built.
QPR /,kju: pi: 'ɑ:/ abbrev. for Queen's Park Rangers; a well-
known football team from West London
qr written abbrev. for QUARTER¹
q.t. /,kju: 'ti:/ n on the q.t. infml secret; secretly: Don't say I
told you; it's supposed to be on the q.t.
qt written abbrev. for QUART
Q-tip /'kju: tɪp/ AmE trademark || cotton bud BrE a type of
small thin stick with COTTON WOOL at each end, used for
cleaning places that are difficult to reach, such as inside
your ears
qtr. written abbrev. for QUARTER¹
qu written abbrev. for QUESTION
qua /kwei, kwa:||kwɑ:/ prep fml when thought of particularly
,in the character of; by itself: Money, qua money, cannot
provide happiness.
Quaa-lude /'kweilu:d/ trademark a type of drug used for
helping people to sleep, which is no longer sold
quack¹ /kwæk/ v [I] to make the sound that ducks make
→quack n
quack² n infml 1 derog a person dishonestly claiming to have
medical knowledge or skills: a quack doctor → compare
CHARLATAN 2 especially BrE a doctor
quack-er-y /'kwækəri/ n [U] derog the behaviour or methods
of a QUACK
quad /kwɒd||kwɑ:d/ n infml 1 a square open place with
buildings round it, especially in a school or college 2 a
QUADRUPLET
quad bike n BrE a small vehicle, similar to a MOTORCYCLE but
with four wide wheels, usually ridden on rough paths or
fields → AmE FOUR WHEELER
Quad-ra-ges-i-ma /,kwɒdrə'dʒesɪmə||,kwɑ:-/ n [U] the
first Sunday in LENT (from Latin quadraginta, meaning 40,
since Quadragesima is about 40 days before Easter)
quad-ran-gle /'kwɒdræŋgl||'kwɑ:-/ n 1 tech a QUADRILAT-
ERAL such as a square 2 fml for QUAD
quad-ran-gu-lar /,kwɒ'dræŋgjələr||,kwɑ:-/ adj having the
shape of a quadrangle
quad-rant /'kwɒdrənt||'kwɑ:-/ n 1 a quarter of a cir-
cle 2 an instrument for measuring angles, when sailing or
when looking at the stars
quad-ra-phon-ic /,kwɒdrə'fɒnɪk||,kwɑ:də'fɑ:-/ adj
using a system of sound recording, broadcasting, or receiv-
ing in which sound comes from four different places →
compare MONO, STEREO, SURROUND SOUND
quad-rat-ic e-qua-tion /,kwɒdrætɪk 'kweɪʒən||kwɑ:-/ n
tech an EQUATION such as ax+bx+c=y, which includes num-
bers or quantities multiplied by themselves once
quad-ri-lat-er-al /,kwɒdrɪ'lætərəl||,kwɑ:-/ n, adj. (a flat
figure) with four straight sides
qua-drille /kwə'drɪl||kwɑ:-/ n a dance, popular especially
formerly, in which the dancers form a square
qua-dril-lion /,kwɒ'drɪljən||kwɑ:-/ n, determiner, pron pl. quad-
rillion or quadrillions 1 BrE the number one followed by 24
zeros; 10²⁴ 2 AmE the number one followed by 15 zeros;
10¹⁵
quad-ri-ple-gic /,kwɒdrɪ'pli:dʒɪk||,kwɑ:-/ n someone
who is permanently unable to move any part of their body
below their neck: A car accident left him a quadriplegic.
→plegia n [U]
quad-ru-ped /'kwɒdrʊped||'kwɑ:-/ n tech a four-legged ani-
mal → compare BIPED
quad-ru-ple¹ /'kwɒdrʊpəl, kwɒ'dru:-||kwɑ:'dru:-/ v 1 [T]
to multiply (a number or amount) by four 2 [I] to become
four times as great: Profits have quadrupled.
quadruple² adj, predeterminer fml four times as big or many:
quadruple the amount of profit →ply adv
quad-ru-plet /'kwɒdrʊplɪt||kwɑ:'dru:p-/ also quad infml —
n [usually pl.] any of four children born of the same mother at
the same time
quaff /kwɒf, kwɑ:f||kwɑ:f, kwæf/ v [T] especially lit to drink
deeply
quag-mire /'kwægmаɪər, 'kwɒg-||'kwæg-/ n an area of soft
wet ground: After the rain, the football pitch is a real
quagmire. | (fig.) They'd allowed themselves to get bogged down
in a quagmire of unnecessary details.
Quaid, Den-nis /kweɪd, 'denɪs/ (1954-) a US film actor,
whose films include Breaking Away, The Right Stuff, Traffic,
and Far from Heaven. He usually plays men who are strong
but also sensitive. His brother Randy Quaid is also an actor.
quail¹ /kweɪl/ n pl. quail or quails [C,U] (the meat of) a small
bird like the PARTRIDGE, which is expensive, and eaten espe-
cially by rich people. Quail's eggs are also considered a
LUXURY food.
quail² v [I(with, at)] lit or fml to be afraid; tremble: I quailed (with
fear) at the thought of telling her the bad news.
quaint /kweɪnt/ adj unusual and attractive, especially in an
old-fashioned way: a quaint old village custom →ly adv
→ness n [U]
quake¹ /kweɪk/ v [I(with, at)] to shake or tremble, especially in
a violent way and usually because of fear: He was quaking in
his boots at the thought.
quake² n infml for EARTHQUAKE
Qua-ker /'kweɪkər/ n a member of a Christian group called
the SOCIETY OF FRIENDS. Quakers have no priests or organized
religious ceremonies, and often spend their religious services
(called 'meetings') in silence. Quakers oppose violence and
war and are active in helping people and in education.
qual-i-fi-ca-tion /,kwɒlɪfɪ'keɪʃən||,kwɑ:-/ n 1 [C often pl.] a
proof that one has passed an examination and gained a
certain level of knowledge or skill: to gain a medical
qualification | academic qualifications 2 [C(for)] an ability,
quality, or record of experience that makes a person suitable
for a particular job or position: Previous experience is not an
essential qualification for this job. | [+to-v] She has all the
right qualifications to be a good manager. 3 [C] something
that limits the force of a statement: I agree, with certain
qualifications. | [+that] We support the plan, with the qualifica-
tion that it should be done more cheaply. 4 [U] the act of
qualifying