Obs. exc. dial. Also 5 qwat(te, 8 quatt, 9 quot. [a. OF. quaitir, quatir to beat or press down, to force in, to hide (mod.F. catir to press), f. OF. *quait, Prov. quait, It. quatto (see prec.):—L. coactus pressed together, COACT.]
1. trans. To beat or press down; to squash, flatten, extinguish. Also absol.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 560. All flames þe flode … And þan ouer-qwelmys in a qwirre & qwatis euer e-like.
1589. Greene, Tullies Love (1609), F iij. Her resolution … quatted the conceit of his former hope. Ibid. (1590), Never too late (1600), K 4. The renowne of her chastity … almost quatted those sparks that heated him on to such lawlesse affection.
1893. Wiltsh. Gloss., Quat, qwot,… to flatten, to squash flat.
b. To load, sate, glut (the stomach). See also QUOT pa. pple.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 44. To the stomack quatted with dainties, al delicates seeme queasie.
1606. J. Hynd, Eliosto Libidinoso, 58. Amazias having quatted the quesy stomaks of the rebels … returned with safety to Famagosta.
2. intr. To crouch down or lie close, as an animal in hiding; to squat. (= OF. se quatir.)
c. 1400. Master of Game, ii. (MS. Digby 182). Þen he shall ruse oute of þe wey for to stalle or qwatte to rest hym.
1602–12. [implied in QUAT sb.2].
1757. Foote, Author, II. Wks. 1799, I. 149. You grow tir’d at last and quat, Then I catch you.
1781. W. Blane, Ess. Hunt. (1788), 125. She will only leap off a few rods, and quat.
1879. Jefferies, Wild Life in S. Co., 222. He [the crake] will then, after a short time, if still hunted, ‘quat’ in the thickest bunch of grass or weeds he can find in the ditch.
† b. To sink, subside. Obs. rare.
a. 1722. Lisle, Husb. (1752), 118. If rain in the interim should come, such ground will quatt, and the furrow will fill up.
Hence Quatting vbl. sb.
1757. Foote, Author, II. Wks. 1799, I. 149. Begin and start me, that I may come the sooner to quatting.
