transcription, транскрипция: [ kwaɪt ]
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use quite to indicate that something is the case to a fairly great extent. Quite is less emphatic than ‘very’ and ‘extremely’.
I felt quite bitter about it at the time...
Well, actually it requires quite a bit of work and research...
I was quite a long way away, on the terrace...
ADV : ADV adj / adv , ADV a n , ADV before v [ vagueness ]
2.
You use quite to emphasize what you are saying.
It is quite clear that we were firing in self defence...
That’s a general British failing. In the USA it’s quite different...
ADV : ADV group , ADV before v [ emphasis ]
3.
You use quite after a negative to make what you are saying weaker or less definite.
Something here is not quite right...
After treatment he was able to continue but he was never quite the same...
ADV : with brd-neg , ADV group , ADV before v [ vagueness ]
4.
You use quite in front of a noun group to emphasize that a person or thing is very impressive or unusual.
‘Oh, he’s quite a character,’ Sean replied...
It’s quite a city, Boston.
PREDET : PREDET a n [ approval ]
5.
You can say ‘ quite ’ to express your agreement with someone. ( SPOKEN )
‘And if you buy the record it’s your choice isn’t it.’—‘Quite’...
ADV : ADV as reply [ formulae ]