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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quiet, Quyet, n. Also: quiete, quyete, qwyet(e, quyett, qwyit, quyat, (quyuet). [ME and e.m.E. quiet(e, quyet(e (14th c.), OF quiete fem. (c1224), Lat. quiēt-, stem of quiēs rest, repose, quiet.]

1. a. Peaceful condition of social or political life; absence of strife or war, peace. b. Cessation of hostilities or fighting. c. Amity betwix (betwene) individuals or nations.Appar. largely superseded by Quietnes n. 1 in mid 16th c.In (at) quyet, at peace, peaceful; also, of the elements; calm, still.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xliii 570.
For-thi is thu seruand … nocht of quyet, bot of stryfe
1398–99 Liber Melros 488.
Gife qviete and trewis be betwix Ingland and Scotland
c1420 Wynt. vii 320.
Betwene hym and oure kyng than wes Nowthire qwyete, rest, na pes
Ib. 2728. 1513 Doug. xi vi 60.
Quhat … onkyndly heyt Ȝou steris from ȝour lang rest and quyet, Prouocand ȝou to movyng … onthrifty wer
Ib. xiii i 49.
And hym beseik of peax and amyte Of rest and quyet evirmar from the weir
Ib. 26. a1400 Leg. S. iii 519.
The quyet of our Lord Ihesu, Luk in vnreste ȝe turne nocht now!
(2) 1401 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 8.
For ess of the contre and quiet of our place
1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I 12.
For the commoune gude and quiete of this toune
1446 Raine N. Durham App. 22. 1497 Acta Conc. II 81.
For the commone wele and quyet of his liegis
1514–15 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xxxviii.
Gif the kyng thar luffis … the quyet of hys awyn realm
1526 Douglas Corr. 113.
That gude reule for the rest and quyet of the cuntre salbe done
1586 James VI in Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 112.
And consequentlye more su[rety] of religion and quyet to the whole yle shall ensew
1661 Acts VII 86/2. 1673 Edinb. B. Rec. X 153.
To disturb the quyet of this place
(3) c1420 Wynt. iv 2537 (W).
All the warld in quyet wes In cherite lufrent and pes
c1420 Wynt. vii 3573, etc. 1533 Bell. Livy I 187/12.
How beit the ciete was in quiet this ȝere but ony vncouth or domestic weris
1594 Charteris Wall. Pref. 165.
Quhen they thocht all to be at maist quyet the eternall God … did steir vp amangis vs this our William Wallace
Ib. 169.
And all estemit to be at greit quyet
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 862 (Asl.).
Than sall the elymentis be clarificat All stand in quyet [Harl. quyete] but commocioun

2. Quiet, as a condition of individuals. Cf. Quietnes n. 2.

a. Freedom from external disturbance or molestation. b. The condition of keeping quiet or still, by refraining from movement, exertion, travel, or company. c. Rest, repose. d. Calm or peace (of mind). c1420 Wynt. iii 320 (W).
He passit till … Gaza A quhill his [C., R. in] quyet thare to ta
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1222 (Harl.).
The rage is euer restles but quiete [: complete]
1490 Irland Mir. I 67/11.
And sleip that tyme had bene principaly ordand for the perfit degestioune mare than for the rest and quyet of the bodely werkis
1513 Doug. ii v 33.
Quhen the fyrst quyete [: swete] Of naturale sleip … Stelis on [etc.]
Ib. iv Prol. 24.
Ȝour wark onthrift ȝour quyet is restles
Ib. v viii 75.
He Dowblys dyntis, … That nother rest nor quyet may he tak
Ib. iv i 10, xiii v 36. a1538 Abell 96b.
Bot he desirand his quiet of conscience he resignit [etc.]
a1568 Bann. MS 15a/3.
Lyfe … Is fraill and vane … A heipfull of cairis bot quyet hes it nane
1577 A. Hay Nobility 12.
His revenues ar not greate yet being a man civil and gyven to quyet he hath matched with the houses of E[rskine]
1592 Douglas Corr. 243.
In suspending your wreithe and leiffin of all violent reweng, … it salbe ane beginning of ane gretter quyett boytht to ȝour freindis and self
c1646 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. fol. 18.
After long conflict of sickenes, he fell into an calme quyet, and … he … yeelded up his soule to Christ
1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xvii 1 (1678) 169.
Adultery is a sin, whereby men … [wrong] their neighbour, by stealing from him his quiet, his good name [etc.]
1690 Cramond Kirk S. III 11 Aug.
That he may with … quyet of minde continue the exercise of his ministry among us

e. transf. A person who brings solace. 1513 Doug. ix viii 53.
O thou, the lattyr quyet of myne age [L. illa senectae sera meae requies]

f. In various adv. phrases without article.To be in gud quiet, to remain still.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 668.
& for my eld … To lyf in quyet accordis me
c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1026 (D).
To saile in quyete [: hete]
c1420 Wynt. iii 314 (see 2 a-d above). Ib. iv 2487.
Thus in quiete [C. qwyet] quhill he wes And stablyst all the warld in pes
Ib. vii 1532.
‘Art thow in to paynys yhit?’ ‘Nay, nowcht in paynis bot qwyit [C. in quiete]
1456 Hay II 125/25.
And all the membris repossis and restis in quiete
1520 Selkirk B. Ct. MS fol. 80b.
The said Thomas to hald the said Rechert wntraublit in quyuet indurand the tyme of his takis
1533 Bell. Livy I 17/9.
Thare throw to regne in quiet, but ony eftir clame
1567 G. Ball. 217.(2) c1420 Wynt. iii 569.
And in tyll quiete and in pes Ilkane in his regnand wes
Ib. v 1297.
He lywyt in qwyete [C. qwyet] and [in] pes
Ib. iv 2446. 1490 Irland Mir. I 13/10.
For than baithe gret & small in thi realme mycht lif in rest, pece and quiet
c1420 Wynt. v 3141.
Thai … thocht tyll lywe off thare tresore … In ese and qwyete, but trawale
a1500 Henr. Fab. 363 (Asl.).
Quhen evir scho list scho had yneuch till eit In quyet and eis withoutin dreid
1533 Boece 41b.(3) c1475 Wall. viii 587.
The ost he maid in gud quyet to be A space fra thaim he buschyt prewale
(4) 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 250/2.
Quhether the saidis Patrik and Jhone pass in the realme of France … or remane at thair eis and quiet wythin our realme
1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 48.
Eftir the days laubour and the heyt Clos warryn all and at thar soft quyet, But sterage or removing
1533 Boece 287b.
Freyndis inquiring gif the king was at quiet
1560 Rolland Seven S. 2025.
Waitand quhill that the hous was at quyet Mony seruandis now preuelie playis the pyet
(5) a1500 Bk. Chess 558.
And quhen to rest the houshald all was gone That out of quyet levit was thair none
1560 Rolland Seven S. 645.
Quhill that nicht come, than ilk man thocht it best To quyet pas and tak the nichtis rest

3. Privacy, seclusion; also ? concealment.Only in in or at quiet, in private, out of public presence; also ? covertly, clandestinely. 1527–8 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 232.
That thai [sc. lepers] convers nocht amang clene folks … bot hald thame be thame selffis in quyet
1531 Bell. Boece I 203.
Als sone as this Murray saw the king at quiet he pullit furth his dageir
1533 Boece 284.
Sum parte of Saxouns … feynȝeing the faith of Criste to idolis sacrifyit in quiet
1540 Lynd. Sat. 4423 (B).
War we at quiet behind a claith Ȝe wald nocht spair to preve my graith With hobbing of ȝour hippis
1547 Cal. Sc. P. I 4.
Bot I am informit thai saye in quyat at thai had lever hayf ane boll of quhet nor all the Papes remessyhones
15.. Clar. ii 329.
Scho [sc. my wife] fand me with ane woman in quyet
1560 Rolland Seven S. 407.
Lat vs thair mak ane hous … Quhair at quyet the child may leirne his lair
a1568 Scott iii 54.
And hald ȝow koy, in quiet quhill ȝe get hir
1611 Melvill Dream in Fugitive Poetry II ii 4/16.
The king in quyet coming with Dunbar

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"Quiet n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/quiet_n>

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