quiet
//ˈkwaɪ̯.ət//
Forms
- Comparative
- quieter
- Superlative
- quietest
- Plural
- quiets
- present (v1)
- quiet
- past (v2)
- quieted
- past participle (v3)
- quieted
- present participle
- quieting
- 3rd person singular
- quiets
Definitions
1.With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
- I can't hear the music; it is too quiet.
- Before long, the unsuspecting salesman was earnestly pitching him "the quietest noisemaker on the market."
- On the light streets, better streetcleaners, more trees, more police, and quieter buses were the most popular improvements, followed by cutting down the number of cars and improving children's play space.
2.Having little motion or activity; calm.
- Mary was a very intelligent, but very quiet girl.
- I told him to be quiet.
- Tom told us to be quiet.
3.Not busy, of low quantity.
- Business was quiet for the season.
- The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.
4.Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
- He's a very quiet man usually, but is very chatty after a few beers.
1.The absence of sound; quietness.
- We need a bit of quiet before we can start the show.
- There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.
2.The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
1.To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.
- Can you quiet your child? He’s making lots of noise.
- The umpire quieted the crowd so the game could continue in peace.
2.To become quiet or calm.
- When you quiet, we can start talking.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1586
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Uncommon
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English quiete, from Old French quiet (adjective) and quiete (noun), from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere (“to keep quiet, rest”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“rest”).
Doublet of coy, quit, quite, and quietus.