1 N‑UNCOUNT Quicksilver is the same as mercury . [OLD-FASHIONED ]
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Quicksilver movements or changes are very fast and unpredictable. □ …her quicksilver changes of mood.
qui ck-te mpered ADJ Someone who is quick-tempered often gets angry without having a good reason.
qui ck-wi tted ADJ Someone who is quick-witted is intelligent and good at thinking quickly.
quid /kw I d/ (quid ) N‑COUNT A quid is a pound in money. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ It cost him five hundred quid.
qui d pro quo (quid pro quos ) N‑COUNT A quid pro quo is a gift or advantage that is given to someone in return for something that they have done. [FORMAL ] □ The statement is emphatic in stating that there must be a quid pro quo.
quids /kw I dz/ PHRASE If you are quids in , you have more money left than you expected or get more for your money than you expected. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Still, we were quids in, we didn't care!
qui|es|cent /kwie s ə nt, [AM ] kwa I -/ ADJ Someone or something that is quiescent is quiet and inactive. [LITERARY ] □ …a society which was politically quiescent and above all deferential. ● qui|es|cence N‑UNCOUNT □ …a long period of quiescence.
qui|et ◆◆◇ /kwa I ət/ (quieter , quietest , quiets , quieting , quieted )
1 ADJ Someone or something that is quiet makes only a small amount of noise. □ Tania kept the children reasonably quiet and contented. □ A quiet murmur passed through the classroom. □ The airlines have invested enormous sums in new, quieter aircraft. ● qui|et|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'This is goodbye, isn't it?' she said quietly. ● qui|et|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the smoothness and quietness of the flight.
2 ADJ If a place is quiet , there is very little noise there. □ She was received in a small, quiet office. □ The street was unnaturally quiet. ● qui|et|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] I miss the quietness of the countryside.
3 ADJ If a place, situation, or time is quiet , there is no excitement, activity, or trouble. □ It is very quiet without him. □ While he wanted Los Angeles and partying, she wanted a quiet life. ● qui|et|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ His most prized time, though, will be spent quietly on his farm. ● qui|et|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ I do very much appreciate the quietness and privacy here.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Quiet is silence. □ He called for quiet and announced that the next song was in our honor.
5 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are quiet , you are not saying anything. □ I told them to be quiet and go to sleep. ● qui|et|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Amy stood quietly in the doorway watching him.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer, for example, to someone's quiet confidence or quiet despair, you mean that they do not say much about the way they are feeling. □ He has a quiet confidence in his ability. ● qui|et|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ Nigel Deering, the publisher, is quietly confident about the magazine's chances.
7 ADJ [ADJ n] You describe activities as quiet when they happen in secret or in such a way that people do not notice them. □ The Swedes had sought his freedom through quiet diplomacy. ● qui|et|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ I slipped away quietly. □ The goal of shifting freight from road to rail has been quietly abandoned.
8 ADJ A quiet person behaves in a calm way and is not easily made angry or upset. □ He's a nice quiet man.
9 VERB If someone or something quiets or if you quiet them, they become less noisy, less active, or silent. [mainly AM ] □ [V ] The wind dropped and the sea quieted. □ [V n] He quieted the crowd with a gesture. in BRIT, usually use quieten 10 VERB To quiet fears or complaints means to persuade people that there is no good reason for them. [mainly AM ] □ [V n] Music seemed to quiet her anxiety and loneliness. in BRIT, usually use quieten
11 PHRASE If someone does not go quietly , they do not leave a particular job or a place without complaining or resisting. □ She's not going to go quietly.
12 PHRASE If you keep quiet about something or keep something quiet , you do not say anything about it. □ I told her to keep quiet about it.
13 PHRASE If something is done on the quiet , it is done secretly or in such a way that people do not notice it. □ She'd promised to give him driving lessons, on the quiet, when no one could see.
▸ quiet down PHRASAL VERB If someone or something quiets down or if you quiet them down , they become less noisy or less active. [mainly AM ] □ [V P ] Once the vote was taken, things quieted down quickly. □ [V n P ] Try gradually to quiet them down as bedtime approaches. in BRIT, usually use quieten down SYNONYMS quiet ADJ
1
low: Her voice was so low he had to strain to catch it.
soft: When he woke again he could hear soft music.
faint: She became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping.
inaudible: His voice was almost inaudible.
2
peacefuclass="underline" …a peaceful Georgian house in the heart of Dorset.
silent: The room was silent except for John's crunching.
stilclass="underline" In the room it was very still.