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Quire

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    One-twentieth of a ream of paper; a collection of twenty-four or twenty-five sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold.

    "Under the year 1533 we are told that the ream contained twenty quires."

  2. 2
    One quarter of a cruciform church, or the architectural area of a church, generally used by the choir; often near the apse.
  3. 3
    a quantity of paper; 24 or 25 sheets wordnet
  4. 4
    A set of leaves which are stitched together, originally a set of four pieces of paper (eight leaves, sixteen pages). This is most often a single signature (i.e. group of four), but may be several nested signatures.
  5. 5
    Archaic spelling of choir (“group of people who sing together”). alt-of, archaic

    "Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her, And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, That she will light to listen to the lays, And never mount to trouble you again."

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  1. 6
    A book, poem, or pamphlet.
Verb
  1. 1
    To prepare quires by stitching together leaves of paper.

    "Now, in the first folio volume of 1616, the paging, signatures, and quiring are continuous and regular throughout."

  2. 2
    Alternative spelling of choir (“to sing in concert”). alt-of, alternative, poetic

    "Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven / Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold: / There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st / But in his motion like an angel sings, / Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins; / Such harmony is in immortal souls; / But whilst this muddy vesture of decay / Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English quayer, from Anglo-Norman quaier and Old French quaer, from Latin quaternus (“fourfold”), from quater (“four times”). Doublet of cahier.

Etymology 2

From Middle English quayer, from Anglo-Norman quaier and Old French quaer, from Latin quaternus (“fourfold”), from quater (“four times”). Doublet of cahier.

Etymology 3

From Middle English quer, quere, from Old French quer, from Latin chorus, from Ancient Greek χορός (khorós, “company of dancers or singers”). Doublet of choir, chorus, and hora.

Etymology 4

From Middle English quer, quere, from Old French quer, from Latin chorus, from Ancient Greek χορός (khorós, “company of dancers or singers”). Doublet of choir, chorus, and hora.

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