Re: Latin
quarter, French quarter, etc.
Posted by ESC
on November 27, 2001 In Reply to: Latin quarter,
French quarter, etc. posted by Marian on November 27, 2001
: How did such phrases come about? Are they military in origin? Do they refer
to sections of cities roped off, so to speak, for particular ethnic groups, perhaps
during a military occupation?
Two for the price of one: I just posted this for
"no quarter." See meaning No. 3.
NO QUARTER GIVEN -- No leniency or clemency
shown. The word 'quarter' has many meanings, one of which is the ancient battlefield
practice of sparing defeated enemies from death. That meaning may in turn have
derived from one of two others, either a person's relationship with another (i.e.,
'to keep good quarter with' someone), or a place of residence and safety. In James
Howell's 'Letters' (1645) one reads: 'He suffered Tilly to take that great Town
with so much effusion of blood, because they wood receiue no quarter.'" " From
"The Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985).
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