Obs. [ad. L. quadrant-em, pres. pple. of quadrāre to square: in sense 1 perh. an alteration of quadrat QUADRATE a. (cf. prec. and QUADRAN 2).]
1. Square; of a square form.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., III. (Percy Soc.), 15. The craggy rocke, whiche quadrant did appeare.
1535. R. Layton, Lett. to Cromwell, 12 Sept., in Wood, Ann., 62. Wee found all the great Quadrant Court [of New College] full of the leaves of Dunce.
1577–87. [see prec. 2 b].
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 161. Taking from the quotient ye roote of the quadrant number.
1601. Bp. W. Barlow, Defence, 105. The quadrant stones of Salomons building.
1603. T. M., Progr. Jas. I., in Arb., Garner, VIII. 501. A goodly edifice of free stone, built in quadrant manner.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apol., E b. The truth resembles, right, the right Cubes figure;… Whose quadrant flatness neuer doth disfigure.
b. Astron. = QUADRATE a. 2.
The form in this case may be due to association with QUADRANT sb.1 4.
1594. Blundevil, Exerc., VII. x. (1636), 662. Characters … Whereof the first signifieth a conjunction … the fourth a quadrant aspect.
2. Agreeing, consonant or conformable (to or with). Cf. QUADRATE a. 4. (So obs. F. quadrant.)
1536. St. Papers Hen. VIII., I. 521. Perceyving that your opinion and advise is quadrant with the same; We haue sent … a pardon to our Cousin.
1598. Yong, Diana, 241. To do the contrarie … were … not quadrant to that, which is expected at your hands.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, II. xx. 567. Thou art content with the Sincerity and Uprightness of my Inclinations, tho’ they should not be so exactly Conformable and Quadrant to Thine Own.
