quiet

quiet
quiet, quieten
As a verb, quiet has been used transitively (with an object) since the 16c in the meaning ‘to make (someone or something) quiet’, and is still in use in this sense:

• The unexpectedness of this departure from the routine at first disquieted but then quieted us all —M. Lindvall, 1991.

Since the 18c, and especially in North America, it has also been used intransitively (often in extended meanings to do more with disposition and temperament than actual sound):

• When I switched to opiates at least I quieted down —New Yorker, 1992.

The alternative verb quieten appeared (often with down) in the 19c in both transitive and intransitive uses; because quiet was available, it was regarded by Fowler (1926) as a ‘superfluous word’, but in more recent usage the stigma has mostly disappeared, leaving quieten now the more common choice than quiet:

• The youth…revved the engine, then quietened it down to the soft ticking-over —J. Wainwright, 1973

• Arnica also helps to calm and quieten the upset child —Health Shopper, 1990

• It's not so much that I've quietened down, as that I've channelled my energies into things that are more productive than out-and-out hedonism —Female First Online, BrE 2005 [OEC].

————————
quiet, quietness, quietude
The most commonly used of these nouns is quiet, which denotes a state of silence or tranquillity (the quiet that precedes a storm / a period of peace and quiet). Quietness also has this meaning but tends to denote rather the condition of being quiet as applied in a particular instance

• (I like to leave the noise of the discos and bars behind me and return to the quietness of my home for a good night's sleep —Pattaya Mail, 2004)

and quietude is a literary alternative for quietness

• (Their two and one-half acres retain a bucolic quietude —Angeles, AmE 1991).


Modern English usage. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Quiet — Qui et, a. [Compar. {Quieter}; superl. {Quietest}.] [L. quietus, p. p. pf quiescere to rest, keep quiet; akin to quies rest, and prob. to E. while, n. See {While}, and cf. {Coy}, a., {Quiesce}, {Quietus}, {Quit}, a., {Quite}, {Requiem}.] 1. In a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quiet — quiet, quiète [ kjɛ, kjɛt ] adj. • XIIIe; lat. quietus ♦ Vx Paisible, tranquille. ⇒ 2. calme. « Il referma la porte de l air le plus quiet » (A. Gide). ⊗ CONTR. Inquiet. ● quiet, quiète adjectif (latin quietus) Littéraire. Paisible : Mener une… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • quiet — [kwī′ət] adj. [ME quiete < OFr < L quietus, pp. of quiescere, to become quiet < quies (gen. quietis), rest < IE base * kweye , to rest > WHILE] 1. still; calm; motionless 2. a) not noisy; hushed [a quiet motor] b) not speaking;… …   English World dictionary

  • Quiet — Qui et, n. [L. quies, etis. See {Quiet}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality or state of being quiet, or in repose; as an hour or a time of quiet. [1913 Webster] 2. Freedom from disturbance, noise, or alarm; stillness; tranquillity; peace; security …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quiet — qui‧et [ˈkwaɪət] adjective 1. if business, a market etc is quiet, there are not many customers or there is not much activity: • August is a quiet time of year for the retail trade. • The market has been quiet this morning. 2. quiet enjoyment LAW… …   Financial and business terms

  • quiet — ► ADJECTIVE (quieter, quietest) 1) making little or no noise. 2) free from activity, disturbance, or excitement. 3) without being disturbed or interrupted: a quiet drink. 4) discreet, moderate, or restrained. 5) (of a person) tranquil and… …   English terms dictionary

  • Quiet — may refer to:* Quiet (John Scofield album), a jazz album * Silence, a relative or total lack of sound * Quiet (The Smashing Pumpkins song) * Quiet game, a children s game where children must stay quiet and still, on fear of punishment * QUIET… …   Wikipedia

  • Quiet — Qui et, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Quieted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Quieting}.] 1. To stop motion in; to still; to reduce to a state of rest, or of silence. [1913 Webster] 2. To calm; to appease; to pacify; to lull; to allay; to tranquillize; as, to quiet… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quiet — qui·et 1 adj: free from disturbance, interference, or dispute (as from an adverse claim) quiet enjoyment of property quiet 2 vt: to establish or make (title) secure by means of an action that produces a final determination of the respective… …   Law dictionary

  • quiet — [adj1] without or with little sound buttoned up*, clammed up*, close, closemouthed, could hear a pin drop*, dumb, hushed, hushful, inaudible, low, low pitched, muffled, mute, muted, noiseless, not saying boo*, peaceful, quiescent, quieted,… …   New thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”