Also 6 quaterzayn, 7 quatorzen, 9 quatuorzain. See also QUATORZIEM. [a. F. quatorzaine a set of fourteen (persons, days, etc.), f. quatorze: see next.] A piece of verse consisting of fourteen lines; a sonnet. In mod. use spec. A poem of fourteen lines resembling a sonnet, but without strict observance of sonnet-rules.
1583. G. Bucke, Commend. Verses, in T. Watson’s Centurie of Loue (Arb.), 33. The Thuscan’s poesie, Who skald [= scaled] the skies in lofty Quatorzain.
1591. Nashe, Pref. Sidney’s Astr. & Stella. Put out your rush candles you poets and rimers and bequeath your quaterzayns to chandlers.
1605. Chapman, All Fooles, II. i. 174. Sonnets in Doozens or your Quatorzaines [printed -anies].
1812. Lofft (title), Laura: or, an Anthology of Sonnets (on the Petrarcan model), and Elegiac Quatuorzains.
1836. H. F. Chorley, Mrs. Hemans (1837), II. 276. This volume … contains also many beautiful sonnets, or more strictly speaking, quatuorzains.
1880. Sat. Rev., 27 March, 421. The sonnet became … as incorrect as in … Cowper’s exquisite quatorzain to Mrs. Unwin.
