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quarter-deck (n.)
1620s, "the part of the spar-deck of a man-of-war between the poop and the main-mast," originally "a smaller deck above the half-deck," covering about a quarter of the vessel [OED], from quarter (n.1).
"It is used as a promenade by the officers only" [Century Dictionary], hence the colloquial nautical noun quarter-decker (by 1867) "an officer who is more looked upon as a stickler for small points of etiquette than as a thorough seaman."
updated on February 27, 2021
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Dictionary entries near quarter-deck
quart
quartan
quarter
quarter day
quarterback
quarter-deck
quarterly
quartermaster
quarters
quarterstaff
quartet