Also 7–9 (6 Sc. pa. pple.) quadrat. [f. L. quadrāt-, ppl. stem of quadrāre to square.]
1. trans. To make (a thing) square. rare.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, II. 586. With subtill wark it was sa roborat Properlie alswa with kirnalis weill quadrat.
1798. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1799), II. 151. The winding stream quadrated into fish-ponds.
1841. Penny Cycl., XIX. 197/2. The materials … are there quadrated or formed into rectangular blocks.
b. Math. To square (a circle, etc.). rare.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 26. The hardest things in the world were; To quadrate a circle, to find out the philosopher’s stone.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. III. vili. § 9 399. It had long been acknowledged by the best geometers impossible to quadrate by a direct process any curve surface.
† 2. To square (a number or amount). Obs. rare–1.
1613. Jackson, Creed, II. § III. iv. 388. The Pharisees … did as it were quadrate the measure of Proselytes sinnes; multiplying Gentilisme by Pharisaisme.
3. intr. To square, agree, correspond, conform with (rarely to).
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, VI. v. (1611), 265. This forme of Helmet … doth best quadrate with the dignity of a Knight.
1671. [R. MacWard], True Non-conf., 18. That it exactly quadrates to the case of our Controversie, is apparent from the single proposal.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. xi. 273. When their Lives Quadrate with their Doctrine, their Words Become of weight.
1794. Paley, Evid., II. i. (1817), 10. The description … quadrates with no part of the Jewish history with which we are acquainted.
1876. J. Parker, Paracl., II. xviii. 325. He had to make a creed which would quadrate with his immorality.
b. Without const.: To be fitting, suitable or consistent. Also of two things: To harmonize with each other. Now rare.
1664. Evelyn, Sylva (1776), 516. The same arguments do not Quadrate in trees.
1718. Freethinker, No. 44, ¶ 7. The Compliment … of comparing a Beauty to a Star, will now quadrate in every Respect.
1791. E. Darwin, Bot. Gard., II. Interl. 84. The similies of Homer … do not quadrate, or go upon all fours.
1833. Chalmers, Const. Man (1835), I. vi. 256. That the natural … and the legal or political … should quadrate as much as possible.
c. trans. To make conformable (to). rare.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 296. Therefore I desire all such that expect any success to their Observations, that they quadrate the Rules to the places where they live.
1817. T. L. Peacock, Melincourt, xxv. He quadrates his practice as nearly as he can to his theory.
4. Artillery. a. trans. To adjust (a gun) on its carriage (see quots.). b. intr. Of a gun: To lie properly on the carriage.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v., In Gunnery, to quadrate or square a Piece, is to see whether it be duly plac’d, or well pois’d on the Carriage and Wheels.
1800. Naval Chron., IV. 53. A gun quadrates, or hangs well in her carriage.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Quadrate, to trim a gun on its carriage and its trucks, to adjust it for firing on a level range.
5. In pa. pple.: Placed in quadrate aspect.
1829. Poe, Poems, Al Aaraf (1859), 192. What time the moon is quadrated in heaven.
