Definition of QUAD

quad

Plural: quads

Noun

  • one of four children born at the same time from the same pregnancy
  • a muscle of the thigh that extends the leg
  • (printing) a block of type without a raised letter; used for spacing between words or sentences
  • a rectangular area surrounded on all sides by buildings
  • Clipping of quadrat.
  • A blank metal block used to fill short lines of type.
  • Clipping of quadrat.
  • A joke used to fill long days of setting type.
  • Clipping of quadrat.
  • A keyboard command which aligns text with the left or right margin, or centred between them. In combination, as quad left, quad right, or quad centre.
  • A quadrangle (quadrangular courtyard).
  • A horse, from colloquial or humorous quadruped specifically for horse.
  • Something that is quadruple (four times) the usual amount, number, etc.
  • A poster advertising a cinematic film release, measuring forty by thirty inches, four times the area of crown paper.
  • Something that is quadruple (four times) the usual amount, number, etc.
  • A quadruple, a jump with four revolutions in the air.
  • Something that is quadruple (four times) the usual amount, number, etc.
  • A serving of four shots of espresso; (attributive) containing four shots of espresso.
  • Something that is quadruple (four times) the usual amount, number, etc.
  • A skate with four wheels.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • A group of four insulated wires twisted together to form two circuits of two wires each.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • A quad antenna, a directional radio antenna consisting of multiple loop antennas.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • A quadruplet, one of four babies born during the same birth.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • A kind of round-robin tournament between four players, where each participant plays every other participant once.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • The Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price bound in a single volume.
  • Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).
  • Of or relating to quads (four of a kind).
  • The quadriceps muscle.
  • Quadruplex videotape.
  • A quadriplegic person.
  • A unit of energy equivalent to a quadrillion BTU (10¹⁵ BTU).
  • A quad bike.
  • A quadrilateral.
  • A quadcopter.
  • A quadrupel beer.

Adj

  • Quadruple, four times the usual size or quantity.
  • Quadrille, marked with squares.

Verb

Verb Forms: quadded, quadding, quads

  • To space out type by inserting quadrats.
  • To fill spaces in a line of type with quads. Also quad out.
  • To align text with the left or right margin, or centre it.
  • To twist four individually insulated conductors together as two pairs of twisted wires that are then twisted together.
  • To ride a quad bike.

Examples

  • The typesetter would quad the line to ensure proper spacing on the board.

Origin / Etymology

Shortened, via clipping or abbreviation, from various English terms. Ultimately related to Latin quattuor (“4”); compare quadri-, quadruple.
The typography senses are from the abbreviation quad. for obsolete quadrat; the keyboard command comes from the verb sense.

Synonyms

musculus quadriceps femoris, quadrangle, quadriceps, quadriceps femoris, quadruplet, space, em quad, em space, quadrat

Scrabble Score: 14

quad: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
quad: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
quad: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

quad: valid Words With Friends Word