Quieten
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "quieten" means to make quiet, calm, or hush. It survives as a natural everyday verb where other regions might just say "quiet" or "calm."
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
With a little of kids, I use 'quieten often. It's common down here. Hillbilly Dude Says...
With a little of kids, I use 'quieten often. It's common down here. Pronunciation
[KWY-uh-tən]
/ˈkwaɪətən/ · [KWAT-ən]
/ˈkwɑːtən/ (regional)
/ˈkwaɪətən/ · [KWAT-ən]
/ˈkwɑːtən/ (regional)
Meaning & Usage
- To make someone/something quiet; hush (verb)
Mae:
They’re wound up.
They’re wound up.
Earl:
I’ll quieten ’em before supper.
I’ll quieten ’em before supper.- To calm or settle (noise, crowd, animal) (verb)
Mae:
How’d the service go?
How’d the service go?
Earl:
Choir quietened the place with that hymn.
Choir quietened the place with that hymn.- (Intransitive) To become quiet; subside (verb)
Mae:
They still arguing?
They still arguing?
Earl:
Naw, it quietened down.
Naw, it quietened down.variations: quiet (verb), calm down, hush, settle
★ "Quieten" is the older British form ("to make quiet"). Southern/Appalachian speech kept it alive, especially in the set phrase "quieten down" in schools, churches, and family talk. ★
Origin and Etymology
From older British English "quieten" (18th-19th c.). Recorded in regional word lists and Appalachian speech as a natural everyday verb, reflecting the area’s tendency to preserve older English forms.
Usage Notes
Everyday and natural in Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region, people may prefer "quiet" as a verb ("quiet the baby") or "calm down," but "quieten" is widely understood.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: often "quieten down" as a fixed phrase; the middle syllable is light-"KWY-’n."
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 20). Quieten. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/quieten
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Quieten." HillbillySlang.com, 20 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/quieten.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Quieten." HillbillySlang.com. September 20, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/quieten.
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Created by a true, actual, proper, real-life hillbilly, HillbillySlang is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...