A generalization of quotient divisible groups to the infinite rank case

An abelian group $A$ is quotient divisible if $A$ has no torsion divisible subgroups but possesses a free subgroup $F$ of finite rank such that $A/F$ is a torsion divisible group. Quotient divisible groups were introduced by Beaumont and Pierce in the class of torsion-free groups in 1961, and by Wickless and Fomin, in the general case in 1998. This paper deals with the abelian groups generalizing quotient divisible groups (we refer to them as generalized quotient divisible groups or $gqd$-groups). We prove that an abelian group $A$ of infinite rank is a $gqd$-group if and only if every $p$-rank of $A$ does not exceed the rank of $A$.