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quiet
(as) quiet as the grave
Totally silent, especially as produces an ominous or foreboding effect. I knew something was wrong when I walked into the meeting room and all the members of the board were quiet as the grave. I hate staying in my grandma's house. It gets as quiet as the grave at nighttime, and it really creeps me out.
so quiet you could hear a pin drop
Extremely quiet and still. After the boss's outburst, the meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Waiting to see what happened next in the play, everyone in the audience stayed so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
all quiet on the Potomac
Nothing is happening right now. The phrase originated during the US Civil War and refers to the Potomac River. A: "Have you heard back from any of the schools you applied to yet?" B: "Nope. All quiet on the Potomac."
all quiet on the Western Front
Nothing is happening right now. The phrase originated during World War I in reference to the major site of trench warfare. A: "Have you heard back from any of the schools you applied to yet?" B: "Nope. All quiet on the Western Front."
be (as) quiet as a mouse
To be silent and meek. I just can't believe that Kate actually yelled at Mike—she's as quiet as a mouse! I always tell my young son that he needs to be quiet as a mouse during the church service.
Be quiet!
Stop talking or making noise. (Regarded as a bit harsh or overbearing, but made polite with please.) Bill (entering the room): Hey, Tom! Tom: Please be quiet! I'm on the phone. Tom: Hey, Bill! Bill: Be quiet! You're too loud. Tom: Sorry.
Better keep still about it.
and Someone had better keep still about it.; Better keep quiet about it.; Someone better keep quiet about it.A particular person ought not to tell about or discuss something. (The someone can stand for any person's name, any pronoun, or even the word someone meaning "you-know-who." If there is no Someone had, the phrase is a mild admonition to keep quiet about something.) Mary: I saw you with Bill last night. Jane: You'd better keep quiet about it. Jane: Tom found out what you're giving Sally for her birthday. Bill: He had better keep quiet about it!
keep quiet (about someone or something)
and keep still (about someone or something)to refrain from talking about someone or something; to keep a secret about someone or something. Please keep quiet about the missing money. Please keep still about it. All right. I'll keep still.
keep something quiet
and keep something stillFig. to keep something a secret. I'm quitting my job, but my boss doesn't know yet. Please keep it quiet. Okay. I'll keep it still
Let's go somewhere where it's (more) quiet.
Let us continue our conversation where there is less noise or where we will not be disturbed. Tom: Hi, Mary. It's sure crowded here. Mary: Yes, let's go somewhere where it's quiet. Bill: We need to talk. Sally: Yes, we do. Let's go somewhere where it's more quiet.
*quiet as a (church) mouse and *quiet as the grave
very quiet. (*Also: as ~.) You'd better be as quiet as a mouse while Grandma takes her nap so you won't wake her up. This town is quiet as the grave now that the factories have closed.
quiet down
to become quiet; to become less noisy. Please quiet down. Ask them to quiet down.
quiet (someone or an animal) down
to make someone or an animal more quiet. Please go and quiet the children down. Try to quiet down the children. Please quiet that dog down.
so still you could hear a pin drop
and so quiet you could hear a pin dropFig. very quiet. (Also with can.) When I came into the room, it was so still you could hear a pin drop. Then everyone shouted, "Happy birthday!" Please be quiet. Be so quiet you can hear a pin drop.
keep quiet (about something)
to not talk about something You know you can trust me to keep quiet. The governor has kept quiet about raising taxes.
be as quiet as a mouse
to be very quiet She was as quiet as a mouse. I didn't even know she'd come in.
on the quiet
(informal) secretly His marriage broke up when his wife found out he'd been seeing someone else on the quiet.
keep quiet
Also, keep still.
2. Refrain from moving, stay in the same position; same as hold still. For example, The doctor gave the young boy a toy to keep him quiet while on the examining table, or It's hard for the baby to keep still unless he's sleeping. [Late 1300s]
peace and quiet
Tranquillity and freedom from disturbance. This phrase's redundancy- quiet here does not mean "lack of sound" but "peacefulness"-gives added emphasis. It often is used in wishes for this condition, as in All I want is a little peace and quiet. [Mid-1800s]
quiet as a mouse
Also, still as a mouse. Silent, without noise, as in She sneaked into the house, quiet as a mouse, or When he heard the news he was still as a mouse. The first of these similes dates from the mid-1500s, the second from the 1300s.
quiet down
v.1. To become less noisy or more relaxed; calm down: When the class quiets down, we can proceed. Quiet down now.
2. To cause someone or something to become less noisy or more relaxed: Please quiet down those children or you will have to leave. We need to quiet the dogs down.
Common Names:
| Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
|---|
| Hiroko | | hee-ṙo-ko | Japanese |
| Jason | | JAY-sən (English) | English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), Biblical |
| Benedict | | ['benədikt] | |
| Aineias | | - | Greek Mythology |
| Wilkin | | - | Medieval English |
| Reimund | | - | German |