QUOIN • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Quoin

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noun

Quoin n.

(Arch.) Originally, a solid exterior angle, as of a building; now, commonly, one of the selected pieces of material by which the corner is marked. Note: In stone, the quoins consist of blocks larger than those used in the rest of the building, and cut to dimension. In brickwork, quoins consist of groups or masses of brick laid together, and in a certain imitation of quoins of stone.

A wedgelike piece of stone, wood, metal, or other material, used for various purposes; as:

(a)

(Masonry) To support and steady a stone.

(b)

(Gun.) To support the breech of a cannon.

(c)

(Print.) To wedge or lock up a form within a chase.

(d)

(Naut.) To prevent casks from rolling.

Hollow quoin. See under Hollow.

Quoin post (Canals), the post of a lock gate which abuts against the wall.

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Etymology of 'Quoin'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Quoin" Quotes from Famous Books

... (Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) are manufactured, the angle occurring (if we omit the hexagonals and take the 18 inch slab) at three-quarters the length of each slab. This gives a half-slab bond to each course, as on one face of the quoin in one course will appear a quarter slab and in the course above a three-quarter slab superimposed upon it, or vice versa. Thus are the walls in Figs. 19 and 20 built up. For openings, the jambs and lintels (and in window-openings the sill) ...

— Scientific American Supplement, No. 514, November 7, 1885 • Various

... bond (liaison en croix), is English bond, but with the peculiarity that in every fourth course one header is made use of in the stretcher course at the quoin. The result is that the stretchers break joint with each other, and all the joints range themselves in diagonal lines, and if in any part of the work headers of a different brick are introduced, the appearance of a cross is at once brought out; ...

— Scientific American Supplement, No. 601, July 9, 1887 • Various