quoin

[ koin, kwoin ]

noun

1. an external solid angle of a wall or the like.
2. one of the stones forming it; cornerstone.
3. any of various bricks of standard shape for forming corners of brick walls or the like.
4. a wedge-shaped piece of wood, stone, or other material, used for any of various purposes.
5. Printing. a wedge of wood or metal for securing type in a chase.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with quoins, as a corner of a wall.
2. to secure or raise with a quoin or wedge.

quoin

/ kwɔɪn; kɔɪn /

noun

1. an external corner of a wall
2. Also calledcornerstone a stone forming the external corner of a wall
3. another name for keystone
4. printing a metal or wooden wedge or an expanding mechanical device used to lock type up in a chase
5. a wedge used for any of various other purposes, such as (formerly) to adjust elevation in muzzle-loading cannon

Word History and Origins

Origin of quoin¹

First recorded in 1525–35; variant of coin

Word History and Origins

Origin of quoin¹

C16: variant of coin (corner)

Example Sentences

Some of my surprise may have noted itself in my face, for he laughed boastfully as he threw the quoin upon the deck.

From Project Gutenberg

Mark you this,and leaning over, he took from one of the guns a chocking quoin of hickory-wood banded with copper.

From Project Gutenberg

Porter's quoin is adopted for all carriages requiring quoins.

From Project Gutenberg

A third slid a quoin along the "bed" of the carriage, under the gun, to support it at the required height.

From Project Gutenberg

He fell on his knees, with his face on his hands in the open quoin drawer, feeling as if he had uttered a blasphemy.

From Project Gutenberg