A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quarter, v. Also: quarterr-, quartyr, qwarter, -ar, quhairter, querter. [Late ME (14–15th c.) and e.m.E. quartre, quarter, f. Quartern. and adj.]
1. tr. To cut the body of a person, usually that of an executed criminal, into quarters: cf. Quarter n. 2 b.c1420 Wynt. viii 2970.
Thare wes he qwartaryd and wndwne c1515 Asl. MS I 269/17.
And the tratouris that slew him war hangit drawin and quarterit a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 416.
Hang Dunbar, Quarter and draw 1531 Bell. Boece II 210.
Thair bodys quarterit, and hungin in sindry townis of this realm a1538 Abell 126b.
And diwers othiris gentil men of the Leslies cruellie wes hedit & quartyrit 1537 Crim. Trials I i 185. 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 283.
For ane ax to quarter thame with 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10696. 1563–4 Crim. Trials I i 441.
Querterit a1578 Pitsc. I 391/31. ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 157.
Qwarterd 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 222.
The said James said … he wished he had been quartered quick when she went from home yesterday
2. To subdivide (a burgh, a stretch of land) into quarters or into several equivalent parts: cf. Quarter n. 5.1479–80 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 38.
And quhen sic thingis hapinis that the toun be quarterit 1497 Aberd. B. Rec. I 61.
The toune salbe quarterit in four partis, and cauellis castyne for the wechin of the tone 1541 Prestwick B. Rec. 56.
The balȝeis and the hayl communite consentis … to quarter the he mos 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 347b (12 Nov.).
That this towne be quarterrit
3. To furnish with board and lodging, to lodge; to provide (troops) with quarters or billets.1603 Inverness Rec. II 12.
And explanit … that Johne Cuminge ȝoungar suld haif him quhairterit 1645–6 Peebles B. Rec. I 421.
Leivetennant Eliot (then quarterit in Pebles with his trowpe) 1646 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 69. 1653 Peebles B. Rec. I 396.
The landlordes within this burgh who quarterit Capitane Deane and Capitane Colmes' troopes 1653 Elgin Rec. II 283.
The Inglisch horses being in the kirk quartered
b. To billet (troops) on or upon a person, in a place, etc.1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 21 (see Quartering vbl. n. 2 a). 1646 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 61.
Becaus the enimie was quarterit in our bowndes c1650 Spalding II 432.
Thir trovperis wes quarterit frielie throw diuerss parochis, sum vpone ilk landislord, and sum vpone ilk pleuche of ground 1650 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 113.
To quarter the saids sojouris wpone frie quarteris wpone the deficientis 1650 Peebles B. Rec. I 391; 1652 Ib. 395, II 4. 1658 Dumbarton B. Rec. 77.
To the housses quhairin the trowpars are quartered 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 183.
The regiment now quarterit in this burghe 1670 Old Ross-shire I 309.
When the trouperis was quartered on the dean 1691 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 10 June.
For keeping the touns magazine of corne and straw when the Dens [? read Dragoons] were quartered here, eightien punds Scots
c. In passive, of the persons with (on or upon) whom troops are billeted or their houses.(1) c1650 Spalding I 188.
And thair houssis wes weill quarterit for intertenneing of the soldiouris, alsweill as the antecovenanteris houssis wes quarterit be Generall Montroiss(2) 1666 Lamont Diary 187.
Exemption of any persons … qwartered vpon by a pairtie from the shyre 1672 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 27 Dec.
That all such persones shall be quartered upon 1675 Glasgow B. Rec. III 198.
For laying on ane locallitie wpon theis within this burgh on quhom their is no shouldiers quartered 1687 Musselburgh 131.
4. intr. To lodge, stay; of troops, to occupy quarters.1649 Acts VI ii 264/2.
It being provin that they quartered in such and such places and did not leave billets or notes for thair quartering conform to the just number quartered 1666 Jurid. Rev. XXIV 20.
There was a pair of blankets … sent up to me from the guide wife of the house that I quartered with 1668 Lamont Diary 207.
A pairty being sent north to qwarter for deficiencie of excyse and sesse that summer ?1672 M. Bruce Sermon in Edinb. Tolbooth 4.
I may … have a brave life of it, … where I'l quarter and pay no house male c1679 Kirkton Hist. 200.
While they quartered in these poor families a1686 Turner Mem. 177.
The place where they quartered, … was defencible enough against infalls 1701 Cramond Kirk S. IV 8 Aug.
She came into Wm. Macrabbies house where he quartered
