quiet
quiet — adjective
- quietpositive
- quietercomparative
- quietestsuperlative
1. producing or involving only a small amount of sound, so that people nearby are n
producing or involving only a small amount of sound, so that people nearby are not disturbed
The baby was finally asleep, so everyone in the house stayed quiet.
predicative use: stay / be / keep + quiet
Aarav spoke in a quiet voice so he would not wake his roommate.
attributive use: quiet + noun
The library is supposed to be a quiet place for reading and studying.
We could hear the quiet hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
The audience remained quiet during the entire piano performance.
文法句型
quiet + noun
be + quiet
用法筆記
Quiet describes a low level of sound; for a complete absence of sound use silent instead.
常見錯誤
2. having few people, events, or signs of activity in a place, giving a feeling of
having few people, events, or signs of activity in a place, giving a feeling of peace and calm
We spent a quiet weekend at home with no special plans.
quiet weekend — describing a period of low activity
The café is quiet in the afternoon, so it is a good time to read.
Business has been quiet lately, and the shop has very few customers.
The couple moved to a quiet village where everyone knows each other.
文法句型
quiet + noun
be + quiet
用法筆記
This sense describes a place or period with little happening, unlike sense 1 which focuses on sound level. A quiet village may still have birds singing or people chatting.
3. choosing to say very little in conversations, often because of a shy or thoughtf
choosing to say very little in conversations, often because of a shy or thoughtful nature
Mei is a quiet girl who prefers to listen rather than speak in groups.
The new student was quiet at first but gradually opened up to her classmates.
be quiet at first — describing temporary personality
Omar is usually quiet during meetings, but when he speaks everyone listens.
Her quiet nature sometimes makes people think she is unfriendly, which is not true.
文法句型
quiet + noun
be + quiet
a quiet person
用法筆記
Quiet as a personality description is usually neutral in tone. Calling someone silent can sound negative, while reserved is more formal and often positive.
常見錯誤
4. intentionally not telling others about something you know, in order to keep it h
intentionally not telling others about something you know, in order to keep it hidden or avoid causing trouble
The company kept the merger quiet until all the papers were signed.
keep [something] quiet — transitive phrasal pattern
Can you stay quiet about the surprise party I am planning for João?
stay quiet about [topic]
The deal was arranged through quiet negotiations behind closed doors.
If you stay quiet about the problem now, it will only get worse later.
- secret
directly describes something hidden
- confidential
formal, used for officially secret information
- hush-hush
informal, suggesting deliberately concealed
文法句型
keep quiet about [something]
stay quiet about [something]
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the phrase keep/stay quiet about something. It differs from sense 1 (making no noise) because the focus is on secrecy, not sound.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Please stay quiet about the news I just heard from the manager.' — Could mean either 'do not talk' (sense 1) or 'do not reveal' (sense 4). Use keep it to yourself to be clear about secrecy.
5. designed, decorated, or behaved in a simple way that does not attract attention
designed, decorated, or behaved in a simple way that does not attract attention or seem showy
She wore a quiet grey dress that did not attract any attention at the party.
quiet + colour — understated, not bright or flashy
The restaurant has a quiet elegance, with simple furniture and soft lighting.
Brian prefers quiet colours like beige and light blue for his bedroom walls.
His quiet confidence impressed the interviewers more than loud boasting would have.
- subtle
not obvious, easy to miss at first — used for colours, flavours, or details
- understated
deliberately plain or simple in a stylish way
- restrained
kept within limits; not excessive or showy
文法句型
quiet + noun
be + quiet
用法筆記
This sense is often used to describe colours, clothing, or personal qualities that are deliberately modest. It has a positive connotation of good taste.
quiet — adverb
1. in a way that makes very little sound or causes little disturbance; used especia
in a way that makes very little sound or causes little disturbance; used especially with verbs of sitting, standing, or lying
The children sat quiet in their chairs while the principal spoke.
sit quiet — informal variant of 'sit quietly'
The dog lay quiet at the foot of the bed all night long.
Élise told the boys to sit quiet and wait for the doctor to arrive.
Please sit quiet and listen to the instructions before you begin the test.
- quietly
the standard adverb form, acceptable in all contexts
文法句型
verb + quiet
sit quiet
stay quiet
lie quiet
用法筆記
This adverbial use of quiet instead of quietly is informal and occurs mainly with a small set of verbs: sit, stand, lie, stay, keep, and play. In formal writing, quietly is preferred.
常見錯誤
quiet — noun
1. a state or period during which there is very little sound, movement, or activity
a state or period during which there is very little sound, movement, or activity, creating a peaceful atmosphere
The quiet of the early morning was broken only by birds singing.
the quiet of [something] — common noun pattern
Élise enjoys the quiet of the countryside after living in a busy city for years.
A few minutes of quiet helped the students focus before the exam began.
The doctor told him to rest and enjoy the quiet while recovering from surgery.
文法句型
the quiet of [place/time]
in the quiet
用法筆記
Quiet as a noun is usually uncountable but can appear with a or an when modified by an adjective (e.g., a deep quiet fell over the room). Distinguish from silence, which means a complete absence of sound.
常見錯誤
quiet — verb
- quietpresent simple I / you / we / they
- quiets3rd person singular
- quieting-ing form
- quietedpast simple
1. to stop making noise or to make someone or something stop making noise; to becom
to stop making noise or to make someone or something stop making noise; to become calmer after being upset, excited, or active
The teacher raised her hand to quiet the class before starting the lesson.
transitive: quiet + [someone] — make them stop making noise
Aarav tried to quiet his racing thoughts by taking slow, deep breaths.
transitive with abstract object: quiet thoughts / fears
The wind gradually quieted after the storm passed through the town.
Chidi gave the baby a bottle to quiet her crying during the night.
The crowd quieted down once the speaker stepped onto the stage.
文法句型
quiet [someone/something]
quiet down
用法筆記
Quiet (verb) is less common in British English, where quieten is often preferred. Both transitive and intransitive uses exist; quiet down is a common phrasal variant. The past form is quieted, not 'quiet'.