Obs. Forms: 4–5 quarte, quert(e, qwert(e, 5 qwarte, -tt, whert, whart(e, 4–6 quart. [app. a. ON. *kwert, neut. of *kwer-r (of which the recorded forms are Icel. kyrr, ONorw. kvirr, Da. quær, Sw. qvar) quiet, still = MHG. kürre (G. kirre), Goth. qairrus gentle, mild. For the retention of the neuter ending cf. thwart. In Engl. the word is chiefly poetic.]
A. adj. Healthy; in good condition; whole and sound.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 26119 (Cott.). Opins to your lauerd your hert, And riues it, to mak it quert.
13[?]. Seuyn Sag. (W.), 771. The cradel turnd up so doun … The stapeles hit upheld al quert.
a. 1400. Stockh. Med. MS., i. 146, in Anglia, XVIII. 298. Þis drinke xal … makyn hym hwngry for to ete As a qwert man al maner mete.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1061. Be thou riche or poor, or sike or quert.
c. 1450. Life St. Cuthb., 4215. On one his eye was hale and whart.
1556. Abp. Parker, Ps. lxxiii. 203. Their paunches ful: their helth so quart.
B. sb. Health; healthy or sound condition; the state of being alive and well. Chiefly in phr. in quart (freq. in 14–15th c.).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1803. Þof þat noe was in quert, He was noght al at es in hert.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 9990. Ouer al was wo, & no whar quert.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6941. [Þai] fayn were … þat þai had hym at hond & in holl qwert.
c. 1450. Life St. Cuthbert, 3958. Bischop Edbart Wex full seke and oute of whart.
1522. More, De quat. Nouiss., Wks. 80/1. Ye would recken your belly not in good quart.
1559. Morwyng, Evonym., 149. It preserveth it in good health and in good quart.
b. That which gives health or soundness. rare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21354. Þe rode … Gains al ur care it es ur quert.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 1488. My leman swete,… My joy, my comforth, and my quert.
