quiet
- 01 A1 Beginner
adj.making very little noise or no noise at all.
adj.characterised by an absence of sound or disturbing noise.
Simple“The library was very quiet while the students were studying for their exams.”
In context“The electric vehicle moved with a quiet hum that was barely audible above the rustle of the wind through the trees.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
adj.having little activity or movement; peaceful.
adj.characterised by a lack of activity, disturbance, or excitement.
Simple“We spent a quiet afternoon reading in the garden.”
In context“After the holiday rush, the village returned to its quiet routine, with few tourists remaining in the local inns.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
adj.describing a person who does not talk very much.
adj.tending to speak little or in a soft voice; reserved in temperament.
Simple“He is a quiet man who prefers listening to others.”
In context“Although she was quiet in large meetings, her written reports were exceptionally detailed and persuasive.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a state of silence or a time without any trouble or noise.
n.the state of being silent or free from disturbance.
Simple“I enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside on the weekends.”
In context“The sudden quiet that followed the explosion was more unsettling than the noise itself.”
Synonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make someone stop making noise or to become silent yourself.
v.to cause to become silent or calm; to subside in intensity.
Simple“The teacher waited for the children to quiet down before starting the lesson.”
In context“The protests began to quiet as the government promised to review the controversial legislation.”
UsageOften used with the particle 'down'.
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. Largely displaced native English still in the sense of "with little or no sound".
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.