Obs. In 5 quare-, quarfour, 6 quare-, quarrefoure, 6–8 carfour, 6– carrefour, carri-. [a. F. carrefour, in 13th c. quarrefour: see CARFAX.] A place where four ways meet, a ‘carfax.’ (Formerly quite naturalized, but now treated only as French.)
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 28. In alle the quarefours of the cyte. Ibid. (1490), Eneydos, xxvii. 100. By the grete quarfours and by wayes.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), V. ii. 362. In a quarefoure of a towne.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVII. iv. 628. Neere unto the carrefour or crosse waie [compitum] of Anagnia. Ibid., XXXVIII. xxxvi. 1005. In all quarrefours or crosse streets of the citie. Ibid. (1601), Pliny, I. 59. Rome … containeth … 265 crosse streets or carlours.
1652. Evelyn, State France, Misc. (1805), 93. You walk the Streets and public Carfours.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), I. 22. It [Glasgow] has a spacious carrifour, where stands the cross.
a. 1734. North, Exam., III. vii. ¶ 86. 572. Their Seat was in a Sort of Carfour at Chancery-Lane End.
