quietly

/'kwiətli/

Học thuật

Thân thiện

The children are listening quietly to the story.

Definition

Adverb:
- With little or no sound; making very little noise: Describes an action performed without creating much audible disturbance.
- In a calm, gentle, or subdued manner: Describes an action done without force, excitement, or agitation.
- With low volume: Specifically refers to the softness of a sound or voice.
- In a private or discreet manner; without drawing attention: Describes an action done secretly or unobtrusively.

Usage Examples

With little or no sound:
- She was crying quietly in her room.
- Please close the door quietly so you don't wake the baby.
In a calm, subdued manner:
- He quietly accepted the news, showing no emotion.
- The protestors quietly dispersed when asked.
With low volume:
- "I have a secret," she whispered quietly.
- The radio was playing quietly in the background.
In a private/discreet manner:
- The celebrity left the venue quietly through the back door.
- The deal was negotiated quietly over several months.

Advanced Usage

"to keep/remain quietly": to stay silent or inactive.
- He kept quietly to himself during the meeting.
"to do something quietly but effectively": to accomplish something without fanfare but with significant results.
- She has been quietly building one of the most successful companies in the region.

Variants and Related Words

Quiet (adjective): Making little or no noise; free from disturbance.
- The library was quiet.
Quietness (noun): The state or quality of being quiet.
- The quietness of the forest was peaceful.

Synonyms

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

To slip away quietly: To leave a place discreetly without being noticed.
- He slipped away quietly before the party ended.
To work quietly behind the scenes: To work on something without public knowledge or attention.
- While others argued, she was working quietly behind the scenes to find a solution.

Related Idioms

A quietly confident person: Someone who is self-assured without being boastful or loud.
- She is a quietly confident leader who earns respect through her actions.
To go quietly: To accept a situation (often an unfavorable one) without complaint or resistance.
- He was asked to resign, and he decided to go quietly.

The children are listening quietly to the story.

Adverb

in a restful manner
- the streets are restfully sunny and still for the town is at mass
with little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet' is a nonstandard variant for `quietly')
- her hands rested quietly in her lap
- the rock star was quietly led out the back door
- sit here as quiet as you can
with little or no sound
- the class was listening quietly and intently
- she was crying quietly
with low volume
- speak softly but carry a big stick
- she spoke quietly to the child
- the radio was playing softly

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