queest
(kwiːst)
Forms: α. 5 quysht(e, quyste, quiste, 7, 9 quist, quoist, (7 coist), 8 quiest, 9 quest, queist, 7– queest. β. 7 quees, quiese, 8–9 queece, 9 queeze, quice, quoice, etc.
[ME. quisht, ? for *cusht, var. of cushat (OE. cuscote, -sceote) by elision of the second vowel. Still current in western dialects.]
The ring-dove, wood-pigeon.
| α c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 758 So hoot is no donge Of foul as of the dowue, a quyshte out take. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. 8 Take quystes, an stoppe hem wyth-in wyth hole peper. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas i. v. 713 The grizel Quoist. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 342 Coists or Stockdoues. 1611 Cotgr., Phavier, a Ringdoue, Queest, Coushot, Woodculuer. 1800 Gentl. Mag. I. 106 The ring-dove or quiest. 1843 Zoologist I. 213 Hiding himself in a barn, waiting for ‘queests’. 1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Holmby House II. iii. 29 The quest's soft, plaintive lullaby. 1870 M. Collins Vivian II. iii. 35 As pensive as a quoist. |
| attrib. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais ii. xxvii, The hornes of a roebuck..the feet of foure queest-doves. |
| β 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 244/2 The Stock Dove..is also termed by us a Quees or Quiese. 1882 W. Worc. Gloss., Queece. 1895 B'ham Weekly Post 16 Feb. 4/8 A wood-pigeon, or ‘quice’, as it is commonly called. |
| collect. 1896 Westm. Gaz. 12 May 4/1 Sitting with his gun waiting for quoice. The quoice were disappointing. |