quadrant.
1. The fourth part of a circle, hence an object or a street with a plan-form based on a fourth of the circumference of a circle. Quad-rant was the name given to part of Regent Street, London, designed 1813–16 by John Nash, laid out on a plan conforming with that shape. A series of buildings the façades of which form a convex curve is called a quadrant, as opposed to that on a concave curve, called crescent. Quadrants were important in Classical composition as e.g. a means of joining a corps-de-logis to pavilions or wings, as in Palladian compositions (Villa Mocenigo (1544–64) by Palladio and Kedleston, Derbys., as designed by Paine (1757–9) )

2. Medieval term for a quadrangle or quad.

3. Octagonal part of a spire.

4. Quarter-round.

quad·rant / ˈkwädrənt/ • n. technical each of four quarters of a circle. ∎  each of four parts of a plane, sphere, space, or body divided by two lines or planes at right angles: the right upper quadrant of the kidney. ∎ hist. an instrument used for taking angular measurements of altitude in astronomy and navigation, typically consisting of a graduated quarter circle and a sighting mechanism. ∎  a frame fixed to the head of a ship's rudder, to which the steering mechanism is attached. ∎  a panel with slots through which a lever is moved to orient or otherwise control a mechanism.DERIVATIVES: quad·ran·tal / kwäˈdran(t)l/ adj.ORIGIN: late Middle English (denoting the astronomical instrument): from Latin quadrans, quadrant- ‘quarter,’ from quattuor four.

oc·ta·gon / ˈäktəˌgän; -gən/ • n. a plane figure with eight straight sides and eight angles. ∎  an object or building with a plan or cross section of this shape.DERIVATIVES: oc·tag·o·nal / äkˈtagənl/ adj.oc·tag·o·nal·ly / äkˈtagənəlē/ adv.

octagon. Eight equal-sided polygonal figure often found as the plan-form for Antique Classical and later buildings, such as cathedral chapter-houses.

Octagon ★★ 1980 (R)

Norris protects a woman from threatening Ninja warriors in average kungfu adventure. Enough action and violence for fans of the genre. 103m/C VHS, DVD, UMD . Chuck Norris, Karen Carlson, Lee Van Cleef, Kim Lankford, Art Hindle, Jack Carter; D: Eric Karson; W: Paul Aaron, Leigh Chapman.