Quiet, a. [Compar. Quieter; superl. Quietest.]
Etymology: [L. quietus, p. p. pf quiescere to rest, keep quiet; akin to quies rest, and prob. to E. while, n. See While, and cf. Coy, a., Quiesce, Quietus, Quit, a., Quite, Requiem.]
1. In a state of rest or calm; without stir, motion, or agitation; still; as, a quiet sea; quiet air. They . . . were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. Judg. xvi. 2.
2. Free from noise or disturbance; hushed; still.
3. Not excited or anxious; calm; peaceful; placid; settled; as, a quiet life; a quiet conscience. " So quiet and so sweet a style." Shak. That son, who on the quiet state of man Such trouble brought. Milton.
4. Not giving offense; not exciting disorder or trouble; not turbulent; gentle; mild; meek; contented. The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. 1 Pet. iii. 4. I will sit as quiet as a lamb. Shak.
2 more senses
5. Not showy; not such as to attract attention; undemonstrative; as, a quiet dress; quiet colors; a quiet movement.
Syn. -- Still; tranquil; calm; unruffled; smooth; unmolested; undisturbed; placid; peaceful; mild; peaceable; meek; contented.
3 other Webster entries under this spelling
Quiet n.
1. The quality or state of being quiet, or in repose; as an hour or a time of quiet.
2. Freedom from disturbance, noise, or alarm; stillness; tranquillity; peace; security. And join with thee, calm Peace and Quiet. Milton. At quiet, still; peaceful. -- In quiet, quietly. " I will depart in quiet." Shak. -- Out of quiet, disturbed; restless. [Obs.] "She is much out of quiet." Shak.
Quiet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quieted; p. pr. & vb. n. Quieting.]
1. To stop motion in; to still; to reduce to a state of rest, or of silence.
2. To calm; to appease; to pacify; to lull; to allay; to tranquillize; as, to quiet the passions; to quiet clamors or disorders; to quiet pain or grief. Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace. Shak.
Quiet, v. i.
To become still, silent, or calm; -- often with down; as, be soon quieted down.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for quiet; he lists it under allay, calm, rest.
Where he writes about it:
But, in strictness, to allay is to lay to rest, quiet or soothe that which is excited; to alleviate, on the other hand, is to lighten a burden. — from allay
Pacify, directly from the Latin, and appease, from the Latin through the French, signify to bring to peace; to mollify is to soften; to calm, quiet, or tranquilize is to make still; compose, to place together, unite, adjust to a calm and settled condition; to soothe (originally to assent to, humor) is to bring to pleased quietude. — from allay
We allay excitement, appease a tumult, calm agitation, compose our feelings or countenance, pacify the quarrelsome, quiet the boisterous or clamorous, soothe grief or distress. — from allay
We speak of a calm sea, a placid lake, a serene sky, a still night, a quiet day, a quiet home. — from calm
Quiet denotes freedom from agitation, or especially from annoying sounds. — from rest