quarter vs ward

quarter

noun
  • A division or section of a town or city, especially having a particular character of its own, or associated with a particular group etc. 

  • A fourth part of the night; one of the watches or divisions of the night. 

  • One's residence or dwelling-place; (in plural) rooms, lodgings, especially as allocated to soldiers or domestic staff. 

  • A region or place. 

  • The aftmost part of a vessel's side, roughly from the last mast to the stern. 

  • A quarter of an acre or 40 roods. 

  • Each of four equal parts into which something can be divided; a fourth part. 

  • A fourth part of the year; 3 months; a term or season. 

  • A section (of a population), especially one having a particular set of values or interests. 

  • Accommodation given to a defeated opponent; mercy; exemption from being killed. 

  • A fourth part of a pound; approximately 113 grams. 

  • A quarter-dollar, divided into 25 cents; the coin of that value minted in the United States or Canada. 

  • Each of four parts into which the earth or sky is divided, corresponding to the four cardinal points of the compass. 

  • A fourth part of a coat of arms, or the charge on it, larger than a canton and normally on the upper dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top meeting a horizontal line from the side. 

  • A measure of length; originally a fourth part of an ell, now chiefly a fourth part of a yard. 

  • A quarterfinal. 

  • A measure of capacity used chiefly for grain or coal, varying greatly in quantity by time and location. 

  • A fourth part of an hour; a period of fifteen minutes, especially with reference to the quarter before or after the hour. 

  • The part on either side of a horse's hoof between the toe and heel, the side of its coffin. 

  • One of four equal periods into which a game is divided. 

  • A fourth part of a hundredweight. 

verb
  • To provide housing for military personnel or other equipment. 

  • To lodge; to have a temporary residence. 

  • To divide into quarters; to divide by four. 

  • To quartersaw. 

adj
  • Consisting of a fourth part, a quarter (¹⁄₄, 25%). 

  • Related to a three-month term, a quarter of a year. 

  • Pertaining to an aspect of a quarter. 

ward

noun
  • An administrative division of a borough, city or council. 

  • The ridges on the inside of a lock, or the incisions on a key. 

  • The action of a watchman; monitoring, surveillance (usually in phrases keep ward etc.) 

  • An object used for guarding. 

  • A subdivision of the LDS Church, smaller than and part of a stake, but larger than a branch. 

  • A part of a hospital, with beds, where patients reside. 

  • A section or subdivision of a prison. 

  • An enchantment or spell placed over a designated area or social unit, that prevents any tresspasser from entering; approaching; or even being able to locate said protected premises or demographic. 

  • A guarding or defensive motion or position. 

  • Land tenure through military service. 

  • Guardianship, especially of a child or prisoner. 

  • A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman. 

  • An area of a castle, corresponding to a circuit of the walls. 

  • A minor looked after by a guardian. 

  • A division of a forest. 

verb
  • To defend, to protect. 

  • To be vigilant; to keep guard. 

  • To fend off, to repel, to turn aside, as anything mischievous that approaches (usually followed by off) 

  • To act on the defensive with a weapon. 

  • To keep in safety, to watch over, to guard. 

How often have the words quarter and ward occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )