Obs. Forms: 1 cweartern, -en, cwert-, cwiertern, 1–2 cwart-, quartern, 3 cwarrt-, quarrterrne, cwart-, quarterne. [Of obscure origin, poss. an alteration of OE. carcærn, carcern, ad. L. carcer.] A prison.

1

c. 975.  Rushw. Gosp., Matt. xxv. 39. Hwonne we þe seʓun untrymne oþðe in quartern?

2

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Exod. xl. 3. Þa dyde hiʓ man on cweartern … and þæs cwearternes hirde betæhte hiʓ Iosepe.

3

c. 1154.  O. E. Chron., an. 1137. Hi dyden heom in quarterne.

4

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6168. Himm þatt i cwarrterrne liþ Forrbundenn. Ibid., 18187. Inntill quarterre worrpenn.

5

c. 1205.  [see QUALE1 b].

6

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 670. Al þe cwarterne of his cume leitede o leie.

7