quiet (redirected from quieting)

*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.

See also: and, grave, mouse

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!

See also: better, keep, still

keep something quiet and keep something still

Fig. 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

See also: keep

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.

See also: keep

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.

See also: somewhere

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.

quiet down

to become quiet; to become less noisy. Please quiet down. Ask them to quiet down.

so still you could hear a pin drop and so quiet you could hear a pin drop

Fig. 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.

See also: could, drop, hear, pin, still

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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.

See also: mouse

on the quiet  (informal)

secretly His marriage broke up when his wife found out he'd been seeing someone else on the quiet.

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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.

See also: keep