adv. [ Cf. Askant, Squint. ] With the eye directed to one side; not in the straight line of vision; obliquely; awry, so as to see distortedly;
n. [ Pref. bi- + quintile: cf. F. biquintile. ] (Astron.) An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other by twice the fifth part of a great circle -- that is, twice 72 degrees. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. See Colocynth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. quinte, fr. L. quintus, quinta, the fifth, quinque five. See Five. ]
n. [ F. quintaine, LL. quintana; cf. W. chwintan a kind of hymeneal game. ] An object to be tilted at; -- called also
☞ A common form in the Middle Ages was an upright post, on the top of which turned a crosspiece, having on one end a broad board, and on the other a sand bag. The endeavor was to strike the board with the lance while riding under, and get away without being hit by the sand bag. “But a quintain, a mere lifeless block.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F., fr. Sp. quintal, fr. Ar. qintar a weight of 100 lbs., prob. fr. L. centenarius consisting of a hundred, fr. centeni a hundred each, fr. centum a hundred. See Hundred, and cf. Kentle. ]
a. [ L. quintanus, fr. quintus fifth, quinque five. See Five. ] Occurring as the fifth, after four others also, occurring every fifth day, reckoning inclusively;
n. See Quintain. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F., fr. L. quinta essentia fifth essence. See Quint, and Essence. ]
☞ The ancient Greeks recognized four elements, fire, air, water, and earth. The Pythagoreans added a fifth and called it nether, the fifth essence, which they said flew upward at creation and out of it the stars were made. The alchemists sometimes considered alcohol, or the ferment oils, as the fifth essence. [ 1913 Webster ]
Let there be light, said God; and forthwith light
Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure,
Sprung from the deep. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. To distil or extract as a quintessence; to reduce to a quintessence. [ R. ] Stirling. “Truth quintessenced and raised to the highest power.” J. A. Symonds. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Of the nature of a quintessence; purest; most characteristic. “Quintessential extract of mediocrity.” G. Eliot. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. quintus fifth, fr. quinque five. ] (Alg.) Of the fifth degree or order. --
n. [ F. quintil aspect, fr. L. quintus the fifth. ] (Astron.) The aspect of planets when separated the fifth part of the zodiac, or 72°. Hutton. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Formed fr. L. quintus the fifth, after the analogy of million: cf. F. quintillion. See Quint. ] According to the French notation, which is used on the Continent and in America, the cube of a million, or a unit with eighteen ciphers annexed; according to the English notation, a number produced by involving a million to the fifth power, or a unit with thirty ciphers annexed. See the Note under Numeration. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. See Quintain. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ L. quintus the fifth: cf. F. quintine. ] (Bot.) The embryonic sac of an ovule, sometimes regarded as an innermost fifth integument. Cf. Quartine, and Tercine. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ It. quinto fifth. ] (Mus.) A group of five notes to be played or sung in the time of four of the same species. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Sp. quinteron the off-spring of a quadroon and a white. ] (Ethnol.) The off-spring of an octoroon and a white person. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
a. [ L. quintus fifth: cf. F. quintuple, L. quintuplex. Cf. Quadruple. ] Multiplied by five; increased to five times the amount; fivefold. [ 1913 Webster ]
Quintuple time (Mus.),
v. t.
n. [ From Quintuple. ]
n. pl. five children born from one mother in a single pregnancy. [ PJC ]
n. (Astrol.) An aspect of the planets when distant from each other half of the quintile, or thirty-six degrees. [ 1913 Webster ]
n.
a. [ Cf. D. schuinte a slope, schuin, schuinsch, sloping, oblique, schuins slopingly. Cf. Askant, Askance, Asquint. ]
v. i.
Some can squint when they will. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
Yet if the following sentence means anything, it is a squinting toward hypnotism. The Forum. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
v. t.
He . . . squints the eye, and makes the harelid. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. One who squints. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. An eye that squints. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]
a.
a. Squinting. [ Obs. & R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
a. & n. from Squint, v. --
a. Having the ratio of one to five;