Quirt

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /kwɜːt/
• US IPA: /kwÉšt/

Origin

From Spanish cuerda ("cord"), or Mexican Spanish cuarta ("whip").

Full definition of quirt

Noun

1. A rawhide whip plaited with two thongs of buffalo hide.
• about 1900, O. Henry, He sprang into the saddle easily as a bird, got the quirt from the horn, and gave his pony a slash with it.
• Grey Riders|3He paused a moment and flicked a sage-brush with his quirt.
• 1920, Peter B. Kyne, The Understanding Heart, Chapter I:... when the young man whirled his horse, “hazed” Jupiter in circles and belaboured him with a rawhide quirt, ... He ceased his cavortings ...
• 1973, Kyril Bonfiglioli, Don't Point That Thing at Me, Penguin (2001), page 96:She raised the handle of her beautiful quirt to her eyes and scanned the Western horizon.
• 1994, Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing:He rode his horse with the reins tied and he wore a pistol at his belt and a plain flatcrowned hat of a type no longer much seen in that country and he wore tooled boots to his knees and carried a quirt.

Verb

1. To strike with a quirt.