mutton quad
- noun
- Archaic
:
cuadrado de imprenta
- The compositor reached for a mutton quad to add space at the end of the line.
Examples
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A traditional mutton quad is the same width as the type size being used.
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The compositor reached for a mutton quad to add space between words in the printed text.
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Distinguishing between an en quad and a mutton quad can be difficult for beginners in letterpress printing.
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The printer used a mutton quad to adjust the spacing.
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She bought several mutton quads for her printing project.
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Distinguishing between an en quad and a mutton quad is important for achieving correct letter spacing in typesetting.
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A traditional mutton quad is needed to ensure consistent spacing in letterpress composition.
Synonyms
5
9.6
A small metal block used to make space between words or lines in printing
A square metal block used in printing to make space equal to the size of the letters
A small metal or wooden block used to make a blank space in printed text
Surface Forms
Morphology
mutton + quad
The core meaning rests on 'quad' (a metal spacing block), so a learner who knows that word can infer the item is a kind of spacing block. However 'mutton' is not semantically related to printing here (and is undefined in the entry), so it provides no transparent clue to the specific subtype; without prior exposure a B1 learner could guess it is a kind of quad but not its established printing sense.
Etymology
Mutton quad may come from the image of a solid, square metal block — the mutton as a chunky piece and quad meaning a four‑sided spacer. Printers used this square block to add exact 'space' the same size as the type, so today mutton quad means a square spacer in letterpress printing.