quire

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   One-twentieth of a ream of paper

   One-twentieth of a ream of paper; a collection of twenty-four or twenty-five sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold.

   • Under the year 1533 we are told that the ream contained twenty quires.
2. 2

   A set of leaves which are stitched together, originally a set of four pieces of paper…

   A set of leaves which are stitched together, originally a set of four pieces of paper (eight leaves, sixteen pages). This is most often a single signature (i.e. group of four), but may be several nested signatures.

3. 3

   A book, poem, or pamphlet.

4. ›+ 4 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To prepare quires by stitching together leaves of paper.

      • Now, in the first folio volume of 1616, the paging, signatures, and quiring are continuous and regular throughout.
      • This is a natural point at which to ask why quiring went out of fashion.
      • By means of these smooth pages we can mostly see how the modern binder made up the book, but whether in doing this he followed the original quiring is quite another matter.
   2. 5

      Uncommon form of choir (“one quarter of a cruciform church, or the architectural area of…

      Uncommon form of choir (“one quarter of a cruciform church, or the architectural area of a church used by the choir, often near the apse”).

   3. 6

      Archaic spelling of choir (“group of people who sing together”).

      • Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her, And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds, That she will light to listen to the lays, And never mount to trouble you again.
      • 1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum Yea, and the prophet of the heav'nly lyre, / Great Solomon sings in the English quire […]
   4. 7

      Poetic spelling of choir (“to sing in concert”).

      • I saw the 'potamus take wing / Ascending from the damp savannas, / And quiring angels round him sing / The praise of God, in loud hosannas.
      • He went on down the hill, toward the dark woods within which the liquid silver voices of the birds called unceasing-the rapid and urgent beating of the urgent and quiring heart of the late spring night.

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