Quoin

Quick meaning: Quoin is a noun meaning Any of the corner building blocks of a building, usually larger or more ornate than the surrounding blocks.

Meaning

Any of the corner building blocks of a building, usually larger or more ornate than the surrounding blocks.

More Meanings

1. The keystone of an arch.
2. (firearms) A wedge of wood or iron put under the breech of heavy guns or the muzzle of siege-mortars to raise them to the proper level.
3. (horticulture) A number of apple varieties with a distinctive ribbed appearance, like corners of a coin.
4. (transitive) To wedge or steady with quoins.
5. (printing, historical) A metal wedge which fits into the space between the type and the edge of a chase, and is tightened to fix the metal type in place.
6. (obsolete, nautical) A form of wedge used to prevent casks from moving.

Example Sentences

Next fit the quoins, using the “persuader” to squeeze in the pages, and tap up all around.

In Casterbridge there stood a noble pile, […] But evil days beset that domicile; The stately beauties of its roof and wall Passed into sordid hands. Condemned to fall Were cornice, quoin, and cove, And all that art had wove in antique style.

Word Forms

• quoins
• quoining
• quoined

Synonyms for quoin

Depending on context, synonyms include cornerstone, corner, coigne, coign.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include coigne, coign, corner, cornerstone, quonset, cant.

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