quintain — (n.) c.1400 (in Anglo Latin from mid 13c.), from O.Fr. quintaine or directly from M.L. quintana, perhaps from L. quintana fifth (see QUINQUE (Cf. quinque )), the name of the business part of a camp, on the supposition that this was where military … Etymology dictionary
quintain — [kwin′tin] n. [ME qwaintan < OFr quintaine < ML quintana < L quintana (via), street in a Roman camp separating the fifth maniple from the sixth (later, marketplace) < quintanus, of the fifth < quintus, fifth: see QUINTET] an object … English World dictionary
Quintain — For the type of poem, see Cinquain, for the band, see Quintaine Americana Quintain (O. Fr. quintaine , from Lat. quintana , a street between the fifth and sixth maniples of a camp, where warlike exercises took place), was a war game (or… … Wikipedia
quintain — /kwin tn/, n. 1. an object mounted on a post or attached to a movable crossbar mounted on a post, used as a target in the medieval sport of tilting. 2. the sport of tilting at a quintain. [1400 50; late ME quyntain object for tilting at < MF… … Universalium
quintain — /ˈkwɪntən/ (say kwintuhn) noun 1. (during the Middle Ages and later) a post, or an object mounted on a post, for tilting at as a knightly or other exercise. 2. such exercise or sport. {Middle English quyntain, from Old French quintaine, from… …
quintain — n. object, or target, tilted at; tilting at quintain … Dictionary of difficult words
Quintain Estates and Development — Infobox Company company name = Quintain Estates and Development company company type = Public (lse|QED) foundation = 1992 location = London, UK key people = John Plender, Chairman Adrian Wyatt, CEO industry = Property products = revenue = £43.4… … Wikipedia
quintain — noun Etymology: Middle English quintaine, from Anglo French, perhaps from Latin quintana street in a Roman camp separating the fifth maniple from the sixth where a market was held, from feminine of quintanus fifth in rank, from quintus fifth Date … New Collegiate Dictionary
quintain — noun The street in a Roman military camp separating the fifth and sixth manipels The quintana was commonly used for exercices See Also: quintile, quintuplicate … Wiktionary
Quintain — An object attached to a pole and used as a target by jousters with a lance, to train in accuracy. The target was attached to an arm which revolved when struck; the arm would spin and if struck inaccurately might hit the tyro en passant. [< Lat … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
