# quarters

/ˈkwɔɹtɝz/ (US) · /kwˈɔːtəz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/quarters
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. living space

noun · CEFR B2

the place where someone lives or stays, especially for soldiers or workers.

For teachers: housing or living accommodations, typically provided for military personnel or staff members.

- The soldiers returned to their quarters after a long day of training.
- The naval officers were assigned private quarters on the upper deck, while the rest of the crew shared communal bunks below.

Usage: Usually plural in this sense.

### 3. drinking game

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English

a game where players try to bounce a coin into a glass.

For teachers: a social drinking game involving the bouncing of a coin off a table into a glass or container.

- The students were playing quarters in the kitchen during the party.
- While common at university social gatherings, the game of quarters is often banned in official campus housing due to alcohol regulations.

## Examples

- The soldiers returned to their quarters after the long training exercise.
- The ship's crew were assigned cramped quarters below deck, while the officers enjoyed more spacious rooms above.
- Despite the base's modern exterior, the residential quarters remained largely unchanged since the 1950s, featuring communal bathrooms and narrow, uninsulated hallways.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.