quarter

Everyday

1. A quarter is one of four equal parts of something. tree →
2. A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes: «a quarter past three». tree →
3. In the USA and Canada, a quarter is a coin worth 25 cents. tree →
4. A quarter is one part of a game (some sports have 4 quarters) or of a year (3 months). tree →
5. To quarter something is to cut it into four. tree →
6. A quarter can also mean a direction or a source, a place where something comes from. tree →

In the lessons

one part of four equal parts: «a quarter of N» is N ÷ 4; four quarters make a whole; in time «quarter past» and «quarter to»; phrases: «a quarter of», «three quarters», «quarter past», «quarter to», «a quarter of an hour»

Examples

• Zoe loses a quarter of her stickers. tree →
• Three quarters of the 20 children are girls. tree →
• Tom ate a quarter of the pizza. tree →
• It is a quarter past three. tree →
• A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes. tree →
• I paid with four quarters, which is one dollar. tree →
• Our team scored in the last quarter. tree →
• Cut the apple into quarters. tree →
• Misfortune often assails us from an unexpected quarter. tree →

Note

«A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes.» «A dollar is 4 quarters.» «a quarter of N» is N ÷ 4; «three quarters» is 3 × (N ÷ 4). Trap: «a quarter past 3» is about time, 15 minutes. A quarter is the same as a fourth.

In Jewish tradition

It means a district or direction, so "every quarter" means from every side of the city. In the primary lessons: one part of four equal parts: «a quarter of N» is N ÷ 4; four quarters make a whole; in time «quarter past» and «quarter to»; phrases: «a quarter of», «three quarters», «quarter past», «quarter to», «a quarter of an hour»

Examples

• But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter. (Torah GEN.19.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Come against her from every quarter, open her granaries, cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly; let nothing of her be left. (Prophets JER.50.26, JPS 1917) tree →
• One post runneth to meet another, and one messenger to meet an other, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter; (Prophets JER.51.31, JPS 1917) tree →
• And in that day, saith the LORD, Hark! a cry from the fish gate, and a wailing from the second quarter, and a great crashing from the hills. (Prophets ZEP.1.10, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

«A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes.» «A dollar is 4 quarters.» «a quarter of N» is N ÷ 4; «three quarters» is 3 × (N ÷ 4). Trap: «a quarter past 3» is about time, 15 minutes. A quarter is the same as a fourth.