keep quiet
keep quiet — idiom
1. to not say anything or produce any sound; to stay completely silent instead of s
to not say anything or produce any sound; to stay completely silent instead of speaking or making noise.
The librarian asked everyone to keep quiet during the exam.
used as an instruction to stop noise
Rafael kept quiet while his parents discussed the family budget.
The baby finally fell asleep, so the whole house kept quiet for an hour.
The audience kept quiet during the final scene of the play.
- stay silent
more formal, often used in writing
- shush
informal, used as a quick command to stop noise
- make noise
the opposite action
- speak up
to start talking or voice an opinion
文法句型
keep + quiet
用法筆記
This is the most literal sense, referring to the physical act of not speaking or making noise. Frequently used as a polite command.
常見錯誤
2. to not tell anyone about something you know or have seen, so that the informatio
to not tell anyone about something you know or have seen, so that the information remains private.
Niran kept quiet about the surprise party so his sister would not find out.
keep quiet about + secret plan
Maeve promised to keep quiet after hearing her friend's personal story.
The children kept quiet about the broken window because they were afraid of punishment.
Zayd kept quiet about his brother's plan to skip class, even when the teacher asked.
- not breathe a word
idiomatic, more emphatic
- keep mum
informal British English, slightly old-fashioned
- blab
informal, to reveal a secret carelessly
- spill the beans
idiomatic, to accidentally or deliberately reveal information
文法句型
keep + quiet + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often followed by 'about' to specify what is being kept secret. The subject chooses not to speak — no external force is involved.
常見錯誤
3. to deliberately take measures so that other people do not learn about a fact, es
to deliberately take measures so that other people do not learn about a fact, especially one that is embarrassing, illegal, or could cause trouble.
The company kept quiet about the safety problem until a worker spoke to the press.
active concealment by an organisation
Zola insisted that everyone keep quiet about the accident to avoid attracting police attention.
Local officials kept quiet about the pollution levels for months before the report came out.
Mateo kept quiet about his role in the prank so that no one would get blamed.
文法句型
keep + quiet + about + noun phrase / that-clause
用法筆記
This sense implies deliberate manipulation or cover-up, not just personal privacy. The subject actively tries to prevent discovery, often in a professional or institutional context. Distinguished from sense 2, which is simply not talking.
4. to deliberately avoid saying anything on a particular topic or about a specific
to deliberately avoid saying anything on a particular topic or about a specific piece of information.
Yael kept quiet about her past job because she did not want to discuss it.
When the argument turned to money, everyone at the table kept quiet.
topic-based silence in a group setting
Shirin kept quiet about her travel plans until everything was confirmed.
The doctor kept quiet about the test results until the patient's family arrived.
- stay silent on
slightly more formal, often used in writing or speeches
- avoid the subject
emphasises the active avoidance of a topic
文法句型
keep + quiet + about + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense focuses on intentionally not bringing up a topic, but without the connotations of a cover-up (sense 3) or of protecting someone's secret (sense 2). The choice may be for personal, strategic, or social reasons.
5. to make a person, animal, or thing stop making noise or stop speaking.
to make a person, animal, or thing stop making noise or stop speaking.
Emily kept the dog quiet during the video call by giving it a chew toy.
keep + animal + quiet
The teacher could not keep the kindergarten class quiet after the fire drill.
Théo kept the children quiet by telling them a story before bedtime.
Yumi gave her little brother some crayons to keep him quiet during the meeting.
- let make noise
to allow noise to continue
文法句型
keep + noun phrase + quiet
用法筆記
Transitive sense — requires an object (the person, animal, or source of noise you are quieting). The method used can be any effective means: distracting, soothing, or commanding.
常見錯誤
6. to stop someone from speaking about secret or sensitive information, especially
to stop someone from speaking about secret or sensitive information, especially by applying pressure, persuasion, or threats.
The managers tried to keep the whistleblower quiet by offering a large payment.
preventing someone from revealing information
Vivek signed an agreement to keep him quiet about the project for three years.
The government could not keep the journalists quiet after the evidence was published.
The lawyer tried to keep the witness quiet by questioning his story in court.
- encourage to speak
to support someone in sharing information
文法句型
keep + noun phrase + quiet
用法筆記
This sense implies an external agent actively preventing another person from speaking out. Distinguished from sense 3, where the subject themself is concealing information — here the subject silences someone else.