quadrivial, a. and n.
(kwəˈdrɪvɪəl)
Forms: 5 quadrivialle, -vall, 5–6 quatrivial, quadryuyall(e, 7 quadruviall.
[ad. med.L. quadriviālis: see quadrivium, and -al1. Cf. OF. quadruvial (Godef.).]
A. adj.
1. Having four roads or ways meeting in a point. Of roads: Leading in four directions.
| a 1490 Botoner Itin. (Nasmith 1778) 177 Wythynne the yate iiii quadryvyalle weyes. a 1637 B. Jonson To Inigo Marquis He [may] draw a forum with quadrivial streets. 1862 Thoreau Excurs. (1863) 171 A trivial or quadrivial place. 1890 O. Crawfurd Round the Calendar in Portugal 303 Passing one day through the quadrivial square that lies beneath the clerigos tower. |
2. Belonging to the quadrivium. Also transf.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. Proem 76 The philosophre..thus prompt to profre Vche art quadriuial. 1481 Botoner Tulle on Old Age (Caxton), Light sciences called trivals, as be grammar, logyk, and rethorik in comparison of the quadrivall sciences. c 1495 The Epitaffe, etc. in Skelton's Wks. (1843) II. 390 Frendely him fostered quatriuial aliaunce. 1886 S. S. Lawrie Rise & Constit. Universities 61 Practically under the name of dialectic, logic was a quadrivial study. 1912 Encycl. Relig. & Ethics V. 172/2 The ‘trivial’ arts were Grammar, Rhetoric, and Dialectics... The ‘quadrivial’ arts were Geometry, Arithmetic, Astronomy, and Music. 1949 Author Winter 40/2 A quadrivial passion for theology and literature, horses and international peace. 1964 C. S. Lewis Discarded Image vii. 196 The four Quadrivial Arts must here be summarily dismissed. |
† 3. Quadrilateral. Obs. rare.
| 1540 Boorde The boke for to Lerne B iij, Deuyde the lodgynges by the cyrcuyte of the quadryuyall courte. Ibid., If there be an vtter courte made, make it quadryuyall with howses of easementes. |
B. n.
† 1. A group of four. Obs. rare—1.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 5 The triuialle of the vertues theologicalle and quadriuialle [L. quadrivium] of the cardinalle vertues. |
2. pl. The four sciences constituting the quadrivium. Now only Hist.
| 1522 Skelton Why not to Court 511 A poore maister of arte..had lytell parte Of the quatriuials Nor yet of triuials. 1577 Harrison England ii. iii. (1877) 1. 78 The quadriuials..(I meane arethmetike, musike, geometrie, and astronomie). a 1656 Hales Gold. Rem. (1688) 357 Trivials and Quadrivials as old clerks were wont to name them. 1716 M. Davies Athen. Brit. II. 92 Edward Seymour..was educated in Trivials, and partly in Quadrivials in Oxon. 1886 Brodrick Hist. Univ. Oxford 64 These seven sciences were no other than the old Trivials and Quadrivials. |