▪ I. quat, n.1 Obs. exc. dial.
(kwɒt)
Also 8–9 quot.
[Of obscure origin.]
1. A pimple or pustule; a small boil; a stye.
| 1579 Langham Gard. Health 153 Inflammations and soft swellings, burnings and impostumes, and choleric sores or quats. 1752–3 A. Murphy Gray's Inn Jrnl. No. 15 A Quat, or Quot, being a small Heat or Pimple. 1848 A. B. Evans Leicestersh. Words s.v., He was rubbing his throat, and he broke the head of his quot. 1896 Warwick Gloss., Quat, a sty or poke. |
† 2. transf. Applied contemptuously to a (young) person. Obs.
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. v. i. 11, I haue rub'd this yong Quat almost to the sense, And he growes angry. 1609 Dekker Gvlls Horne-bk. 151 Whether he be a young quat of the first year's revenue, or some austere and sullen-faced steward. 1623 Webster Devil's Law-Case ii. i, O young quat, incontinence is plagu'd In all the creatures of the world. |
▪ II. † quat, n.2 Obs. rare.
Also 7 quatte.
[f. quat v.1]
The act or state of squatting.
| 1602 Narcissus (1893) 475 The doggs have putt the hare from quatte. 1612 Webster White Devil Wks. (Rtldg.) 31/2 A full cry for a quarter of an hour, And then..put to the dead quat. |
▪ III. quat, a. Obs. exc. dial.
(kwɒt)
Also 9 quot.
[Related to prec. and next: cf. squat a., and It. quatto ‘squatting, cowering, quiet, still’ (Baretti).]
1. Squatted, close, still, quiet, in hiding.
| c 1450 Merlin xxv. 463 The x traitoris that were quatte in the gardin vnder an ympe. Ibid., Bretell and Vlfin..weren quat vnder the steyres. 1682 Bunyan Holy War 310 The rest lay so quat and close that they could not be apprehended. 1685 ― Bk. Boys & Girls 21 My lying quat, until the Fly is catcht Shews [etc.]. 1879 G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk., Quat, close, still, as a hare on her form. 1886 in Elworthy W. Som. Wd.-bk. |
2. Low and broad; squat.
| 1863 Barnes Dorset Gloss., ‘There's a little quot rick’. |
▪ IV. quat, v.1 Obs. exc. dial.
(kwɒt)
Also 5 qwat(te, 8 quatt, 9 quot.
[a. OF. quaitir, quatir to beat or press down, to force in, to hide (mod.F. catir to press), f. OF. *quait, Prov. quait, It. quatto (see prec.):—L. coactus pressed together, coact.]
1. trans. To beat or press down; to squash, flatten, extinguish. Also absol.
| c 1400–50 Alexander 560 All flames þe flode..And þan ouer-qwelmys in a qwirre & qwatis euer e-like. 1589 Greene Tullies Love (1609) F iij, Her resolution..quatted the conceit of his former hope. 1590 ― Never too late (1600) K 4 The renowne of her chastity..almost quatted those sparks that heated him on to such lawlesse affection. 1893 Wiltsh. Gloss., Quat, qwot,..to flatten, to squash flat. |
b. To load, sate, glut (the stomach). See also quot. pa. pple.
| 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 44 To the stomack quatted with dainties, al delicates seeme queasie. 1606 J. Hind Eliosto Libid. 58 Amazias having quatted the quesy stomaks of the rebels..returned with safety to Famagosta. |
2. intr. To crouch down or lie close, as an animal in hiding; to squat. (= OF. se quatir.)
| c 1400 Master of Game ii. (MS. Digby 182), Þen he shall ruse oute of þe wey for to stalle or qwatte to rest hym. 1602–12 [implied in quat n.2]. 1757 Foote Author ii. Wks. 1799 I. 149 You grow tir'd at last and quat, Then I catch you. 1781 W. Blane Ess. Hunt. (1788) 125 She will only leap off a few rods, and quat. 1879 Jefferies Wild Life in S.C. 222 The crake..will then..if still hunted, ‘quat’ in the thickest bunch of grass or weeds he can find. |
† b. To sink, subside. Obs. rare.
| a 1722 Lisle Husb. (1752) 118 If rain in the interim should come, such ground will quatt, and the furrow will fill up. |
Hence ˈquatting vbl. n.
| 1757 Foote Author ii. Wks. 1799 I. 149 Begin and start me, that I may come the sooner to quatting. |
▪ V. quat, v.2
Sc. var. (also pa. tense and pa. pple) of quit v. (Cf. quated.)
| 1573 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxix. 54 So had the cause bene quat, wer not for shame. 1597 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 1179 Thou..Gars courage quat them. 1637–50 J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 254 So he quat his ministrie. 1714 Ramsay Elegy John Cowper xii. (1877) I. 168 To quat the grip he was right laith. 1786 Burns To James Smith xxix, I shall say nae mair, But quat my sang. 1836 M. Mackintosh Cottager's Daughter 49 For your threats ae truth I winna quat. |
▪ VI. quat
obs. f. quoth, what; Sc. var. quit a.