quan|ti|fi|able /kwɒ nt I fa I əb ə l/ ADJ Something that is quantifiable can be measured or counted in a scientific way. □ A clearly quantifiable measure of quality is not necessary.
quan|ti|fi|er /kwɒ nt I fa I ə r / (quantifiers ) N‑COUNT In grammar, a quantifier is a word or phrase such as 'plenty' or 'a lot' which you use to refer to a quantity of something without being precise. It is often followed by 'of', as in 'a lot of money'.
quan|ti|fy /kwɒ nt I fa I / (quantifies , quantifying , quantified ) VERB If you try to quantify something, you try to calculate how much of it there is. □ [V n] It is difficult to quantify an exact figure as firms are reluctant to declare their losses. ● quan|ti|fi|ca|tion /kwɒ nt I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Others are more susceptible to attempts at quantification.
quan|ti|ta|tive /kwɒ nt I tət I v, [AM ] -te I t-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Quantitative means relating to different sizes or amounts of things. [FORMAL ] □ …the advantages of quantitative and qualitative research. ● quan|ti|ta|tive|ly ADV □ We cannot predict quantitatively the value or the cost of a new technology.
quan|ti|ta|tive eas|ing N‑UNCOUNT Quantitative easing is the practice of increasing the supply of money in order to encourage activity in an economy. □ The Bank of England has continued to hold UK interest rates and announced no change to its quantitative easing programme.
quan|tity ◆◇◇ /kwɒ nt I ti/ (quantities )
1 N‑VAR A quantity is an amount that you can measure or count. □ [+ of ] …a small quantity of water. □ [+ of ] …vast quantities of food. □ Cheap goods are available, but not in sufficient quantities to satisfy demand.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Things that are produced or available in quantity are produced or available in large amounts. □ After some initial problems, acetone was successfully produced in quantity.
3 N‑UNCOUNT You can use quantity to refer to the amount of something that there is, especially when you want to contrast it with its quality. □ …the less discerning drinker who prefers quantity to quality.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone or something is an unknown quantity , you mean that not much is known about what they are like or how they will behave. □ He is an unknown quantity for his rivals. SYNONYMS quantity NOUN 1
amount: He needs that amount of money to survive.
number: Quite a considerable number of interviews are going on.
size: Iraq itself has oil reserves second in size only to Saudi Arabia's.
qua n|tity sur|ve y|or (quantity surveyors ) N‑COUNT A quantity surveyor is a person who calculates the cost and amount of materials and workers needed for a job such as building a house or a road. [BRIT ]
quan|tum /kwɒ ntəm/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] In physics, quantum theory and quantum mechanics are concerned with the behaviour of atomic particles. □ Both quantum mechanics and chaos theory suggest a world constantly in flux.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A quantum leap or quantum jump in something is a very great and sudden increase in its size, amount, or quality. □ The vaccine represents a quantum leap in healthcare.
quar|an|tine /kwɒ rəntiːn, [AM ] kwɔː r-/ (quarantines , quarantining , quarantined )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in/into n] If a person or animal is in quarantine , they are being kept separate from other people or animals for a set period of time, usually because they have or may have a disease. □ She was sent home to Oxford and put in quarantine.
2 VERB [usu passive] If people or animals are quarantined , they are stopped from having contact with other people or animals. If a place is quarantined , people and animals are prevented from entering or leaving it. □ [be V -ed] Dogs have to be quarantined for six months before they'll let them in.
quark /kwɑː r k, [AM ] kwɔː rk/ (quarks ) N‑COUNT In physics, a quark is one of the basic units of matter.
quar|rel /kwɒ rəl, [AM ] kwɔː r-/ (quarrels , quarrelling , quarrelled ) in AM, use quarreling , quarreled 1 N‑COUNT A quarrel is an angry argument between two or more friends or family members. □ [+ with ] I had a terrible quarrel with my other brothers.
2 N‑COUNT Quarrels between countries or groups of people are disagreements, which may be diplomatic or include fighting. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ with ] Canning thought that Persia would probably not want to risk a quarrel with England.
3 VERB When two or more people quarrel , they have an angry argument. □ [V ] At one point we quarrelled, over something silly. □ [V + with ] My brother quarrelled with my father.
4 N‑SING [with neg] If you say that you have no quarrel with someone or something, you mean that you do not disagree with them. □ [+ with ] We have no quarrel with the people of Spain or of any other country.
quar|rel|some /kwɒ rəlsəm, [AM ] kwɔː r-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A quarrelsome person often gets involved in arguments. □ Benedict had been a wild boy and a quarrelsome young man.
quar|ry /kwɒ ri, [AM ] kwɔː ri/ (quarries , quarrying , quarried )
1 N‑COUNT A quarry is an area that is dug out from a piece of land or the side of a mountain in order to get stone or minerals. □ …an old limestone quarry.
2 VERB When stone or minerals are quarried or when an area is quarried for them, they are removed from the area by digging, drilling, or using explosives. □ [be V -ed] The large limestone caves are also quarried for cement. □ [V -ed] …locally quarried stone. ● quar|ry|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ Farming, quarrying and other local industries have declined.