Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors - Bill Bryson [102]
Pythagoras. (582–507 BC) Greek philosopher and mathematician; the adjectival form is Pythagorean.
Qaddafi/Gaddafi, Muammar al-. (1942–) Libyan head of state (1969–). Either spelling is acceptable, but Gaddafi is more commonly used than Qaddafi. He has no official title or position.
Qaeda, Al (from the Arabic al-qa’ida), is the most common spelling in American English for the terrorist group, but there are many variants, including commonly Al Qaida, al-Qaeda, and al-Qaida.
Qahira, El. Arabic for Cairo.
Qantas. Although the full name is no longer used, for historical purposes it may be worth noting that Qantas is short for Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service. Not Air and not Services.
Qatar. Persian Gulf emirate; capital Doha. The airline is Qatar Airways.
QED (no periods) is the abbreviation of quod est demonstrandum (Lat.), “which was to be demonstrated.”
Qom. Alternative spelling for Qum, Iranian holy city.
Q-tip is a trademark.
quadrennium. A period of four years. Nearly everyone will understand you better if you just say “a period of four years.”
quadriplegia. Not quadra-. Paralysis of all four limbs.
quadruped. Not quadra-, quadri-. A four-legged animal. The adjectival form is quadrupedal.
Quai d’Orsay. The French Foreign Ministry, so called because it is on a street of that name in Paris.
Quakers are formally known as the Society of Friends.
Qualcomm. Wireless technology company.
quandary. Not quandry or quandery.
quand même. (Fr.) “All the same.”
quantum leap has become a cliché and is better avoided. A separate objection is that its general sense of a revolutionary step forward is at variance with its strict scientific sense of a movement or advance that is discrete and measurable, but not necessarily, or even usually, dramatic.
Qu’Appelle. Canadian river.
quark. Hypothetical subatomic particle.
quasar is derived from, and means, “quasi-stellar object.”
quaternary. Of or pertaining to groups of four. When capitalized, it describes the geological period, part of the Cenozoic era, when humans first appeared.
quatrefoil. In architecture, a four-pointed tracery.
quattrocento. Abbreviation of Italian millequattrocento, the fifteenth century, used especially in reference to Italian art and culture.
quaver. To tremble.
queasy.
Québécois (or Quebecer) for someone from Quebec. The Canadian political party is always Parti Québécois.
Queen Elizabeth II. (1926–) Her formal title, though seldom used, is Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her Other Realms and Territories, Queen Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. She became queen in 1952; her coronation was in 1953.
Queens. (No apos.) Borough of New York.
Queensberry rules. Not -bury. Code of conduct for boxing; formally they are the Marquess of Queensberry Rules.
Queensboro Bridge, New York, but Queensborough Community College.
Queens College, City University of New York, Queen’s College, Oxford, Queens’ College, Cambridge.
quelque chose. (Fr.) Something, a trifle.
¿qué pasa? (Sp.) “What’s up?”
querulous. Fretful, peevish.
query, inquiry, enquiry. A query is a single question. An inquiry or enquiry may be a single question or an extensive investigation. Either spelling is correct, but inquiry is preferred by most dictionaries.
que será, será. (Sp.) “Whatever will be, will be.” The same expression in Italian is che sarà, sarà.
qu’est-ce que c’est? (Fr.) “What is this?”
question, leading. A leading question is not a challenging or hostile one, as is sometimes thought, but the opposite. It is a question designed to encourage the person being questioned to make the desired response. A lawyer who says to a witness, “So you didn’t see the murder, did you?” has asked a leading question.
question mark has become an overworked embellishment of the expression “a question hanging over,” which is itself wearyingly overused. Consider: “The case…has raised a question mark over the competence of British security” (The Times). Would