A father and son went fishing one day. While they were out in the boat, the boy suddenly became curious about the world around him. He asked his father, "How does this boat float?"
The father replied, "Don"t rightly know, son."
A little later, the boy looked at his father and asked, "How do fish breath underwater?"
Once again the father replied, "Don"t rightly know, son."
A little later the boy asked his father, "Why is the sky blue?"
Again, the father replied, "Don"t rightly know, son."
Finally, the boy asked his father, "Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?"
The father replied, "Of course not, you don"t ask questions, you never learn nothin"."
adj. Constituting or having a quorum. [from *quorum]
QUADRANT
n. - quarter of a circle's circumference.
- quarter of a circle enclosed by two radii at right angles.
- quarter of a sphere etc.
- any of four parts of a plane divided by two lines at right angles.
- a graduated quarter-circular strip of metal etc. B instrument graduated (esp. Through an arc of 90°) for measuring angles. [latin quadrans -ant-]
QUADRATE
—adj. Esp. Anat. & zool. Square or rectangular. —n. Rectangular object. —v. (-ting) make square. [latin quadro make square]
QUAGMIRE
n. - muddy or boggy area.
- hazardous situation. [from quag bog, *mire]
QUANDARY
n. (pl. -ies) 1 perplexed state.
- practical dilemma. [origin uncertain]
QUANTIFY
v. (-ies, -ied) 1 determine the quantity of.
- express as a quantity. quantifiable adj. Quantification n. [medieval latin: related to *quantity]
QUANTITY
n. (pl. -ies) 1 property of things that is measurable.
- size, extent, weight, amount, or number.
- specified or considerable portion, number, or amount (buys in quantity; small quantity of food).
- (in pl.) Large amounts or numbers; an abundance.
- length or shortness of vowel sounds or syllables.
- math. Value, component, etc. That may be expressed in numbers. [latin quantus how much]
- surveyor n. Person who measures and prices building work.
QUATRAIN
n. Four-line stanza. [french quatre four]
QUAYSIDE
n. Land forming or near a quay.
QUESTION
mark n. Punctuation mark (?) Indicating a question.
- time n. Period in parliament when mps may question ministers.
- —n. - sentence worded or expressed so as to seek information or an answer.
- a doubt or dispute about a matter (no question that he is dead). B raising of such doubt etc.
- matter to be discussed or decided.
- problem requiring a solution. —v. - ask questions of; interrogate; subject (a person) to examination.
- throw doubt upon; raise objections to. be just a question of time be certain to happen sooner or later. Be a question of be at issue, be a problem (it's a question of money). Call in (or into) question express doubts about.
