Word Confusion: Quiet vs Quit vs Quite

Plural for the noun: quiet
Gerund: quieting

Third person present verb: quiets
Past tense or past participle: quieted
Present participle: quieting

Plural for the noun: quits
Gerund: quitting

Third person present verb: quits
Past tense or past participle: quitted OR quit
Present participle: quitting

• [Of a place, period of time, or situation] Without much activity, disturbance, or excitement
• Without being disturbed or interrupted
• Free, or comparatively free, from noise

Silent

Carried out discreetly, secretly, or with moderation

• [Of a person] Tranquil and reserved by nature
  • Not brash or forceful
• [Attrib.] Expressed in a restrained or understated way or manner
• [Of a color or garment] Unobtrusive
  • Not bright or showy

Being at rest

Refraining or free from activity, especially busy or vigorous activity

Noun:
Absence of noise or bustle

• Silence
• Calm
• Freedom from disturbance or interruption by others
• A peaceful or settled state of affairs in social or political life

Verb, intransitive:
[Often followed by down] To become quiet

To cease from doing something

• Stop

To give up or resign one’s job or position

To depart or leave

To stop trying, struggling, or the like

• Accept or acknowledge defeat

Verb, transitive:
Make or become silent, calm, or still
To make tranquil or peaceful

• Pacify

Make or become silent, calm, or still

To calm mentally, as a person

To allay tumult, doubt, fear, etc.

• Released from obligation, penalty, etc.
• Free, clear

Noun:
[In combination] Used in names of various small songbirds found in the Caribbean area ²

Verb, intransitive:
Leave (a place), usually permanently ¹

• [Informal] Resign from a job

Verb, transitive:
Leave (a place), usually permanently ¹

• [Informal] Resign from a job
• [Informal; chiefly North American] Stop, cease, or discontinue (an action or activity)
• Give up, let go
• Relinquish

[Archaic with adverbial; quit oneself] Behave in a specified way

To stop, cease, or discontinue

To depart from, leave (a place or person)

To release one’s hold of (something grasped)

To acquit or conduct (oneself)

To free or rid (oneself)

To clear (a debt)

• Repay

• Absolutely
• Completely
• [US] Very
• [US; used as an intensifier] Really

To a certain or fairly significant extent or degree

• Fairly
• Somewhat

In actuality

• Truly

Exclamation:
[British; also quite so] Expressing agreement with or understanding of a remark or statement

The car has a quiet, economical engine.

I was as quiet as I could be, but he knew I was there.

The street below was quiet, little traffic braving the snow.

All he wanted was a quiet drink.

We wanted a quiet wedding.

I’ll have a quiet word with him.

He saw them. His quiet, middle-aged parents dancing wildly at the bar.

Molly spoke with quiet confidence.

When you meet your future in-laws for the first time, consider wearing something quiet.

We must be as quiet as mice.

We do appreciate a quiet Sunday afternoon.

Be quiet!

“Quiet quitting” used to be the norm. You came to work. Did your 9-to-5 and went home.

Noun:
The ringing of the telephone shattered the early morning quiet.

He understood her wish for peace and quiet.

After several months of comparative quiet, the scandal re-erupted in August.

Verb, intransitive:
Quiet down!

The journalists quieted down as Judy stepped onto the dais.

The rumble of the crowd quieted as the cortege drew past.

Verb, transitive:
Can you quiet the baby? Your dad’s trying to sleep.

We’d better quiet her with a dose of Valium.

There are ways of quieting kids down without resorting to violence.

Will we ever be quit of this debt?

At last, we’re quit of all further responsibilities.

Noun:
The bananaquit is a small, active nectarivore.

Some of the grassquits include the Cuban grassquit, the sooty grassquit, the dull-colored grassquit, the yellow-faced grassquit, and the black-faced grassquit.

Verb, intransitive:
He quit as manager of struggling Third Division City.

He keeps threatening to quit.

They received notice to quit.

Verb, transitive:
He was ordered to quit the cabin.

She quit her job in a pizza restaurant.

Quit moaning!

I want to quit smoking.

Quit yourselves like men, and fight.

She quit what she was doing to help me paint the house.

They quit the city for the seashore every summer.

He quit his claim to the throne.

She quit herself well.

Thou must quit thyself of doubts.

He quitted the place hastily.

Are you quite certain about this?

This is quite a different problem.

I quite agree.

Quite frankly, I don’t blame you.

“You’ve no intention of coming back?” “I’m quite sorry, but no, I have not.”

It’s quite warm outside.

I was quite embarrassed, actually.

She did quite well at school.

He’s quite an attractive man.

She hasn’t been seen for quite some time.

She was quite the thing in heels and stockings and lipstick.

He thought the bag was heavy, but it was quite light.

It’s quite the thing to do.

Exclamation:
“I don’t want to talk about that now.” “Quite.”

Quite so.

“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” “Quite,” he replied.

1. Middle English in the sense of set free and is from the Old French quite (adjective), quiter (verb), both of which are from the Latin quietus, a past participle of quiescere meaning be still, which is from quies meaning quiet.
2. Mid-19th century and probably imitative.