quad

Meanings

1. Clipping of quadrat.
2. A blank metal block used to fill short lines of type.
3. A joke used to fill long days of setting type.
4. A keyboard command which aligns text with the left or right margin, or centred between them. In combination, as quad left, quad right, or quad centre.
5. A quadrangle (quadrangular courtyard).
6. A horse, from colloquial or humorous quadruped specifically for horse.
7. Something that is quadruple (four times) the usual amount, number, etc.
8. A poster advertising a cinematic film release, measuring forty by thirty inches, four times the area of crown paper.
9. A quadruple, a jump with four revolutions in the air.
10. A serving of four shots of espresso; (attributive) containing four shots of espresso.
11. A skate with four wheels.
12. Clipping of quadruplet (“a set of four; one of a set of four”).

1. Quadruple, four times the usual size or quantity.
2. Quadrille, marked with squares.

1. To fill spaces in a line of type with quads. Also quad out.
2. To align text with the left or right margin, or centre it.
3. To twist four individually insulated conductors together as two pairs of twisted wires that are then twisted together.
4. To ride a quad bike.

1. An informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, focused on Asian security matters.
2. A grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia, and India.

1. A coalition committee that resolved party disputes during the Cameron–Clegg coalition.

Etymology

Shortened, via clipping or abbreviation, from various English terms. Ultimately related to Latin quattuor (“4”); compare quadri-, quadruple. The typography senses are from the abbreviation quad. for obsolete quadrat; the keyboard command comes from the verb sense.