1 a : to a very noticeable degree or extent : very ◊Quite is a more forceful word than fairly but it is a less forceful word than extremely. It is used more often in British English than in U.S. English, but it is not an unusual or rare word in U.S. English.
▪ She did quite well. ▪ He is quite ill/rich/busy. ▪ The room is quite large/small. ▪ They were quite surprised. ▪ Blue jays are quite common in this area. ▪ We go out to dinner quite frequently. ▪ The entertainment was quite good. ▪ We live quite near the school. ▪ Quite frankly, we felt it was not our responsibility. ▪ Quite simply, we do not have the resources. ▪ She sings quite wonderfully.
b — used to make a statement more forceful ▪ I quite liked/enjoyed the music. ▪ “We're sorry for the trouble.” “That's quite all right.” ▪ The work has value in itself, quite apart from the good effects it produces. ▪ I haven't seen her for quite some time. [=a long period of time] ▪ I decided I had heard quite enough. ▪ It was quite something [=a major event] for a small-town boy to be interviewed for the national news. — often used with a, an, or the before a noun ▪ She is quite a beauty. [=she's very beautiful] ▪ The news was quite a shock. [=the news was very shocking] ▪ My promotion was quite a surprise. ▪ We had quite a lot of food at the dinner party. ▪ It was quite an eventful week. ▪ We were in line for quite a while. ▪ She has made quite a career for herself. [=she has had a very successful career] ▪ The award is quite an honor. [=is a very impressive honor] 2 : completely or entirely
▪ “Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.” ▪ We quite agree. ▪ I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you. ▪ They assured me that I was quite mistaken. ▪ Something wasn't quite right. ▪ We hadn't quite made up our minds. ▪ She's quite right, you know. ▪ I quite forgot your birthday. 3 : exactly or precisely
▪ No one realized quite what was happening. ▪ Quite why he left is unclear. ▪ That is not quite what I said. 4 Brit — used to express agreement ▪ “We need to let children be children.” “Quite.” ▪ “There is little violence in his films.” “Quite so.” ▪ “They have no one but themselves to blame.” “Quite right.”
▪ She did quite well. ▪ He is quite ill/rich/busy. ▪ The room is quite large/small. ▪ They were quite surprised. ▪ Blue jays are quite common in this area. ▪ We go out to dinner quite frequently. ▪ The entertainment was quite good. ▪ We live quite near the school. ▪ Quite frankly, we felt it was not our responsibility. ▪ Quite simply, we do not have the resources. ▪ She sings quite wonderfully.
b — used to make a statement more forceful ▪ I quite liked/enjoyed the music. ▪ “We're sorry for the trouble.” “That's quite all right.” ▪ The work has value in itself, quite apart from the good effects it produces. ▪ I haven't seen her for quite some time. [=a long period of time] ▪ I decided I had heard quite enough. ▪ It was quite something [=a major event] for a small-town boy to be interviewed for the national news. — often used with a, an, or the before a noun ▪ She is quite a beauty. [=she's very beautiful] ▪ The news was quite a shock. [=the news was very shocking] ▪ My promotion was quite a surprise. ▪ We had quite a lot of food at the dinner party. ▪ It was quite an eventful week. ▪ We were in line for quite a while. ▪ She has made quite a career for herself. [=she has had a very successful career] ▪ The award is quite an honor. [=is a very impressive honor]
▪ “Are you quite finished?” “Not quite.” ▪ We quite agree. ▪ I am quite capable of doing it myself, thank you. ▪ They assured me that I was quite mistaken. ▪ Something wasn't quite right. ▪ We hadn't quite made up our minds. ▪ She's quite right, you know. ▪ I quite forgot your birthday.
▪ No one realized quite what was happening. ▪ Quite why he left is unclear. ▪ That is not quite what I said.
quite a bit — see 1bit
quite a few — see 1few
quite the contrary — see 1contrary







