Meaning
- To become quieter or to make someone else quieter.
- To make less noise.
Today's Sentences
01
Could you quiet down?
Situation
Excuse me, could you quiet down?
Why?
The movie is about to start.
Sure.
Sorry about that.
02
The party started to quiet down.
Situation
How was the party?
It was a lot of fun.
When did everyone go home?
The party started to quiet down around midnight.
Writer's Note
You will find that "quiet down" is an intransitive phrasal verb because it does not require a direct object to complete its meaning. The subject of the sentence is performing the action of becoming quiet without directly acting on something else.
The phrasal verb "quiet down" can be used as both intransitive and transitive, and it is separable when used transitively.
- Intransitive - An intransitive phrasal verb is a verb phrase (two or more words) that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning.
Example 1: The room finally quieted down after the announcement.
Example 2: The baby finally quieted down after crying for hours.
Example 3: The storm didn’t quiet down until midnight. - Transitive - A verb phrase (a main verb combined with one or more particles like prepositions or adverbs) that requires a direct object to complete its meaning.
Example 1: The teacher tried to quiet the class down.
Example 2: The teacher tried to quiet down the class.
Incorrect Example: ❌ The teacher tried to quiet down them. (Incorrect — pronouns go between) - Separable - Where the object of the verb can be placed either between the verb and its particle (preposition or adverb) or after the particle.
Example 1: The librarian tried to quiet the students down.
Example 2: I had to quiet him down before the meeting started.
Related Words: Hush, settle down, calm down, cool down, shut up, pipe down.
