Word: quite Part of Speech: adv Etymology: A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. Doublet of coy, quit, quiet, and quietus. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat). Pronunciation: /kwaɪt/ 1. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: Thus when they had the witch diſrobed quight, / And all her filthy feature open ſhowne, / They let her goe at will, and wander waies vnknowne. Example: Nobuyoshi Araki has been called a monster, a pornographer and a genius—and the photographer quite agrees. 2. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: Margaret passed quite through the pines, and reached the opening beyond which was what was once the yard, but was now, except for a strip of flower-border and turf which showed care, simply a tangle of bushes and briars. Example: Religion and parochial etiquette are probed to reveal unhealthy, and sometimes shockingly violent, internal desires quite at odds with the surface life of a town in which tolerance is preached. 3. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: El adrea was quite dead. No more will he slink silently upon his unsuspecting prey. Example: It was almost quite dark in there and she kept her arms stretched out in front of her so as not to bump her face into the back of the wardrobe. 4. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: When I warned him that his words might be offensive to identical twins, he said that identical twins were a quite different case. Example: Create a new, quite separate, private company – say Murdoch Newspaper Holdings – and give it all, or most of, the papers that News Corp owns. 5. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: I ventured to hint that he was not quite a fair judge, as [Charles] Churchill had attacked him violently. Example: And with a prolonged sound, not quite a sniff and not quite a snort, he trod on Euphemia's toe, and went out, leaving a sensation and a faint scent of barley−sugar behind him. 6. To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. Labels: not-comparable Example: However, the proceedings were quite carefully orchestrated to produce what seemed to be a predetermined outcome. Example: Higher education institutions in the UK are, quite rightly, largely autonomous. 7. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: not-comparable Example: "My little plot has been rather successful, after all, hasn't it?" "Quite a perfect success," said Drake. Example: While the government claims to lead the world with its plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the figures tell quite a different story. 8. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: not-comparable Example: “My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. / Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. / “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.” Example: London Underground is quite unique in how many front line staff it has, as anyone who has travelled on the Paris Metro or New York Subway will testify. 9. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: not-comparable Example: Laploshka was one of the meanest men I have ever met, and quite one of the most entertaining. Example: Scaramouche has already been greeted as the finest French Revolution yet brought to the screen-and even if you are a little weary of seeing a strongly American band of sans-culottes demolish a pasteboard Paris, you should not miss Scaramouche, for it is quite the best thing Rex Ingram has done since The Four Horsemen. 10. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: not-comparable Example: To debauch the Indians with rum and cheat them of their land was quite a Government affair, and not at all criminal; but to use rum to cheat them of their peltry, was an abomination in the sight of the law. Example: “Looks like you and Clay had quite a party,” she said with a glimmer in her dark blue eyes. 11. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: not-comparable Example: It's not quite the colour I am looking for. Example: It is quite the proper thing for a lady to be on intimate, and even on affectionate, terms with her favourite clergyman, and Lizzie certainly had intercourse with no clergyman who was a greater favourite with her than Mr. Emilius. 12. In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually. Labels: archaic, not-comparable 13. To a moderate extent or degree; somewhat, rather. Labels: not-comparable Example: Mind your shoes, the basement is quite wet.