quadrate

1. Having four equal sides, the opposite sides parallel, and four right angles; square. "Figures, some round, some triangle, some quadrate." (Foxe)

2. Produced by multiplying a number by itself; square. " Quadrate and cubical numbers."

3. Square; even; balanced; equal; exact. " A quadrate, solid, wise man."

4. Squared; suited; correspondent. " A generical description quadrate to both.

<anatomy>" Quadrate bone, a bone between the base of the lower jaw and the skull in most vertebrates below the mammals. In reptiles and birds it articulates the lower jaw with the skull; in mammals it is represented by the malleus or incus.

Origin: L. Quadratus squared, p. P. Of quadrare to make four-cornered, to make square, to square, to fit, suit, from quadrus square, quattuor four. See Quadrant, and cf. Quadrat, Quarry an arrow, Square.

1. <geometry> A plane surface with four equal sides and four right angles; a square; hence, figuratively, anything having the outline of a square. "At which command, the powers militant That stood for heaven, in mighty quadrate joined." (Milton)

2. <astronomy> An aspect of the heavenly bodies in which they are distant from each other 90 deg, or the quarter of a circle; quartile. See the Note under Aspect.

3. <anatomy> The quadrate bone.

Origin: L. Quadratum. See Quadrate.

Source: Websters Dictionary

(01 Mar 1998)


Terms mentioned in text: equal, sides, opposite, parallel, right, angles, square, round, triangle, number, square, square, even, equal, solid, wise, man, generical, anatomy, bone, base, jaw, skull, vertebrates, mammals, reptiles, birds, articulates, lower jaw, mammals, malleus, incus, geometry, plane, surface, equal, sides, right, angles, square, powers, heaven, mighty, milton, astronomy, aspect, bodies, quarter, circle, quartile, note, under, anatomy, bone
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