I. qui ‧ et 1 S2 W2 /ˈkwaɪət/ BrE AmE adjective ( comparative quieter , superlative quietest )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ quiet , ↑ disquiet , ↑ quietness , ↑ quietism , ↑ quietude ; verb : ↑ quieten , ↑ quiet ; adverb : ↑ quietly ; adjective : ↑ quiet ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: quietus , from the past participle of quiescere 'to become quiet, rest' , from quies ; ⇨ ↑ quiet 2 ]
1 . MAKING NO NOISE not making much noise, or making no noise at all:
We’ll have to be quiet so as not to wake the baby.
It’s a nice car. The engine’s really quiet.
I’ll be as quiet as a mouse (=very quiet) .
⇨ see box on P.1426
2 . NOT SPEAKING
a) not saying much or not saying anything:
You’re very quiet, Mom – is anything the matter?
I didn’t know anything about it so I just kept quiet.
The crowd went quiet.
quiet confidence/satisfaction/desperation (=having a particular feeling but not talking about it)
a woman whose life of quiet desperation threatens to overwhelm her
quiet authority/dignity (=not saying much but making other people have a particular feeling about you)
Jack’s air of quiet authority
b) someone who is quiet does not usually talk very much:
a strange, quiet girl
3 . (be) quiet! spoken used to tell someone to stop talking or making a noise:
Tanya, be quiet! I’m on the phone.
Quiet, you lot!
4 . keep something quiet/keep quiet about something to keep information secret:
You’re getting married? You kept that quiet!
5 . PLACE WITH NO NOISE a place that is quiet has no noise or not much noise:
Our hotel room was comfortable and quiet.
When they walked into the pub, the place went quiet.
6 . NO ACTIVITY/PEOPLE without much activity or without many people:
It was a Sunday, about three o'clock, and the streets were quiet.
I’d love to go on holiday somewhere where it’s nice and quiet.
Anthony met her in the bar, and they found a quiet corner where they could talk.
I’m going to have a quiet night in (=an evening when you stay at home and relax) .
He wants a quiet life, while she wants to go out partying.
7 . BUSINESS if business is quiet, there are not many customers SYN slack :
August is a quiet time of year for the retail trade.
8 . keep somebody quiet to stop someone from talking, complaining, or causing trouble:
Give the kids some crayons – that will keep them quiet for a while.
9 . have a quiet word (with somebody) especially British English to talk to someone privately when you want to criticize them or tell them about something serious:
Brian’s just not keeping up with the workload. Can you have a quiet word?
HINT : ► Do not confuse quiet with quite (=fairly).
—quietness noun [uncountable]
⇨ ↑ quietly
• • •
THESAURUS
■ a quiet sound or voice
▪ quiet not making a loud sound:
I heard a quiet voice behind me.
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a car with a quiet engine
▪ low quiet – especially because you do not want people to hear or be disturbed:
Doug was on the phone, speaking in a low voice.
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I turned the volume down low.
▪ soft quiet and pleasant to listen to:
Soft music was playing in the background.
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His voice was soft and gentle.
▪ silent not making any sound at all:
a silent prayer
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silent laughter
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The machines were virtually silent.
▪ hushed deliberately quiet because you do not want people to hear – used about people’s voices:
They were talking about money in hushed tones.
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The doctor’s voice was hushed and urgent.
▪ faint quiet and difficult to hear because it comes from a long way away:
The men went ahead and their voices got fainter and fainter.
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the faint sound of bells
▪ muffled difficult to hear, for example because the sound comes from another room or someone’s mouth is covered by something:
Muffled voices were coming from downstairs.
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the muffled sound of someone crying
▪ dull [only before noun] a dull sound is not loud – used especially about the sound of something hitting another thing:
He hit the ground with a dull thud.
▪ inaudible too quiet to hear:
The sound is inaudible to the human ear.
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Her answer came in an almost inaudible whisper.
■ a quiet place
▪ quiet without much noise:
It’s so quiet here at night.
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This is the quietest room in the house to work in.
▪ silent with no noise at all:
The room fell silent (=became silent) .
▪ peaceful ( also tranquil especially written ) quiet in a pleasant and relaxing way:
Life’s more peaceful in the countryside.
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The hotel is set in tranquil surroundings.
▪ sleepy [only before noun] quiet – used about a town or village where there are not many people and very little happens:
a sleepy fishing village
■ not saying much
▪ quiet not saying much:
He’s a quiet boy who loves reading.
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You’re very quiet tonight, Suzy – are you OK?
▪ silent not saying anything:
Her husband was a big silent man.
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Everyone was arguing but I decided to remain silent.
▪ taciturn /ˈtæsətɜːn, ˈtæsɪtɜːn $ -ɜːrn/ formal not talking much and seeming a little unfriendly or bad-tempered:
He found Vaughn a taciturn and rather difficult person.
▪ reticent unwilling to talk to other people, especially about a particular subject:
She’s always been reticent about her early life.
▪ a man/woman of few words someone who does not talk much, especially because they only speak when there is something important to say:
My father was a man of few words, but when he spoke everyone listened.
II. quiet 2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ quiet , ↑ disquiet , ↑ quietness , ↑ quietism , ↑ quietude ; verb : ↑ quieten , ↑ quiet ; adverb : ↑ quietly ; adjective : ↑ quiet ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: quies 'rest, quiet' ]
1 . the state of being quiet, calm, and peaceful:
We were enjoying the quiet of the forest.
I’ve had an awful day – now I just want some peace and quiet.
2 . silence:
Can I have some quiet, please?
3 . on the quiet British English informal secretly:
We found out he’d been doing some freelance work on the quiet.