1670s, agent noun in English form from adjust. The insurance sense of "one who settles the amount to be paid for a claim under a policy, after making proper allowances and deductions," is from 1830.

"made firm, solid, hard, or compact," 1736, past-participle adjective from consolidate. Of bills in parliament, 1741; of money, debt, etc., 1753.

"one who checks or controls," especially "one who collects money for others," 1867, agent noun from check (v.2).

1610s, "sum, amount," from Latin quantum (plural quanta) "as much as, so much as; how much? how far? how great an extent?" neuter singular of correlative pronominal adjective quantus "as much" (see quantity).

The word was introduced in physics directly from Latin by Max Planck, 1900, on the notion of "minimum amount of a quantity which can exist;" reinforced by Einstein, 1905. Quantum theory is from 1912; quantum mechanics, 1922. The term quantum jump "abrupt transition from one stationary state to another" is recorded by 1954; quantum leap "sudden large advance" (1963), is often figurative.

also pay dirt, "profit, success," 1873, from pay (n.) + dirt (n.); a word from mining, where it was used by 1856 in a literal sense of "gravel or sand containing a sufficient amount of gold to be profitably worked."

mid-14c., "that which has been strewn about;" late 14c., "act of sprinkling, strewing, or dispersing;" verbal noun from scatter (v.). By 1620s as "sparse number or amount." Colloquial scatteration is attested by 1776.

1857, racing slang, "to refuse or avoid payment of money laid as a bet," probably a disparaging use of the national name Welsh. Related: Welched; welching.

1590s, "to identify by an earmark," from earmark (n.). Meaning "to set aside money for a special purpose" is attested by 1868. Related: Earmarked; earmarking.

1550s, "small amount or weight" (a sense now obsolete), from slight (v.). The meaning "intentional neglect or ignoring out of displeasure or contempt" is from 1701, probably via 17c.-18c. phrase make (a) slight of "regard as trifling or unimportant."

c. 1300, "a wedge, a wedge-shaped piece used for some purpose," from Old French coing (12c.) "a wedge; stamp; piece of money;" usually "corner, angle," from Latin cuneus "a wedge," which is of unknown origin.

The die for stamping metal was wedge-shaped, and by late 14c. the English word came to mean "thing stamped, piece of metal converted into money by being impressed with official marks or characters" (a sense that already had developed in Old French). Meaning "coined money collectively, specie" is from late 14c.

Compare quoin, which split off from this word 16c., taking the architectural sense. Modern French coin is "corner, angle, nook."

The custom of striking coins as money began in western Asia Minor in 7c. B.C.E.; Greek tradition and Herodotus credit the Lydians with being first to make and use coins of silver and gold. Coin-operated (adj.), of machinery, is attested from 1890. Coin collector is attested from 1795.