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Dumb vs Quiet - What's the difference?

dumb | quiet | Related terms |

Quiet is a synonym of dumb.



As adjectives the difference between dumb and quiet

is that dumb is unable to speak; lacking power of speech while quiet is with little or no sound; free from of disturbing noise.

As verbs the difference between dumb and quiet

is that dumb is to silence while quiet is to become quiet, silent, still, tranquil, calm.

As a noun quiet is

the absence of sound; quietness.

dumb

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) dumb, from (etyl) . In ordinary spoken English, a phrase like "He is dumb" is interpreted as "He is stupid" rather than "He lacks the power of speech". The latter example, however, is the original sense of the word. The senses of stupid'', ''unintellectual'', and ''pointless developed under the influence of the (etyl) word dumm.

Adjective

(er)
  • (label) Unable to speak; lacking power of speech.
  • * Hooker
  • to unloose the very tongues even of dumb creatures
  • (label) Silent; unaccompanied by words.
  • dumb show
  • * Shakespeare
  • This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.
  • *
  • * J. C. Shairp
  • to pierce into the dumb past
  • extremely stupid.
  • You are so dumb ! You don't even know how to make toast!
  • (label) Pointless, foolish, lacking intellectual content or value.
  • This is dumb ! We're driving in circles! We should have asked for directions an hour ago!
    Brendan had the dumb job of moving boxes from one conveyor belt to another.
  • Lacking brightness or clearness, as a colour.
  • * De Foe
  • Her stern was painted of a dumb white or dun color.
    Synonyms
    * (unable to speak) dumbstruck, mute, speechless, wordless * (stupid) feeble-minded, idiotic, moronic, stupid * banal, brainless, dopey, silly, stupid, ridiculous, vulgar
    Derived terms
    * dumb as a box of rocks * dumben * dumbhood * dummy * dumbness

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) dumbien, from (etyl) dumbian (more commonly in compound .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To silence.
  • * 1911 , Lindsay Swift, William Lloyd Garrison , p. 272,
  • The paralysis of the Northern conscience, the dumbing of the Northern voice, were coming to an end.
  • To make stupid.
  • * 2003 , Angela Calabrese Barton, Teaching Science for Social Justice , p. 124,
  • I think she's dumbing us down, so we won't be smarter than her.
  • To represent as stupid.
  • * 2004 , Stephen Oppenheimer, The Real Eve: Modern Man's Journey Out of Africa , p. 107,
  • Bad-mouthing Neanderthals . . . is symptomatic of a need to exclude and even demonize. . . . I suggest that the unproven dumbing of the Neanderthals is an example of the same cultural preconception.
  • To reduce the intellectual demands of.
  • * 2002 , Deborah Meier, In Schools We Trust: Creating Communities of Learning in an Era of Testing , p. 126,
  • The ensuing storm caused the department to lower the bar—amid protests that this was dumbing the test down—so that only 80 percent of urban kids would fail.
    Derived terms
    * dumbness * dumb blonde * dumb down * dumbocracy * dumb-show * dumb terminal * dummy * play dumb

    quiet

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • With little or no sound; free from of disturbing noise.
  • Having little motion or activity; calm.
  • Not busy, of low quantity.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=8 citation , passage=It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet , chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.}}
  • Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
  • Not showy; undemonstrative.
  • a quiet''' dress; '''quiet''' colours; a '''quiet movement

    Synonyms

    * See also * See also

    Antonyms

    * loud * sounded * vocal

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become quiet, silent, still, tranquil, calm.
  • When you quiet , we can start talking.
  • To cause someone to become quiet.
  • Can you quiet your child? He's making lots of noise.
    The umpire quieted the crowd, so the game could continue in peace.

    Synonyms

    * (become quiet) quiet down, quieten * (cause to become quiet) quiet down, quieten

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The absence of sound; quietness.
  • There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.
    We need a bit of quiet before we can start the show.
  • the absence of movement; stillness, tranquility
  • Usage notes

    Often confused with quite .

    Statistics

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