quiet word
2
5.6
- noun
:
palabra a solas
- We had a quiet word with a couple of Vikings.
It's it's like saying the quiet word in A&E;.
- It's it's like saying the quiet word in A&E;.
Examples
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Can I have a quiet word, please?
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I want a quiet word with him about the upcoming project.
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I wonder if we might have a quiet word.
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I want a quiet word with him.
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Whether you want to talk or not, I think it's about time we had a quiet word.
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I'll have a quiet word with my partner about the way he spoke to your wife.
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May I have a quiet word, sire?
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If any MP made a public idiot of themself like this, one of the Whips would have a quiet word with them.
Blog text (5) -
Can I have a quiet word, please?
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Would you like me to have a quiet word with the manager regarding your concerns?
Synonyms
A private talk between two people in a quiet place
Antonyms
9
2.8
An open talk where many people share views about things that affect everyone
How Private
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'quiet' (discreet, low-profile) combined with 'word' (in the extended sense 'a brief talk' or 'a word with someone') yields a meaning that is largely inferable as a short, private conversation. However, the use of 'word' to mean a brief conversation is somewhat idiomatic and the pragmatic sense of discreetness and brief admonition/advice may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without prior exposure, so the phrase is only partly transparent.
Etymology
Quiet word comes from the image of stepping aside and whispering a single word to someone in a low voice. That's why the phrase now means 'a brief, private, and discreet conversation', often to warn or give advice.