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).
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.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 49, page 118:
Nobuyoshi Araki has been called a monster, a pornographer and a genius—and the photographer quite agrees.2005 October 4, Adrian Searle, The Guardian:
2
With prepositional phrases and spatial adverbs.
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.1891, Thomas Nelson Page, On Newfound River:
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.2010 October 30, Joanna Briscoe, The Guardian:
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With predicative adjectives.
El adrea was quite dead. No more will he slink silently upon his unsuspecting prey.1915 December 4 – 1916 January 8, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter V, in The Son of Tarzan, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., published March 1917, →OCLC, pages 66–67:
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.1950, C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:
1 more example
In Lejeuneaceae vegetative branches normally originate from the basiscopic basal portion of a lateral segment half, as in the Radulaceae, and the associated leaves, therefore, are quite unmodified.1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 5:
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With attributive adjectives, following an (especially indefinite) article; chiefly as expressing contrast, difference etc.
When I warned him that his words might be offensive to identical twins, he said that identical twins were a quite different case.2003, Richard Dawkins, A Devil's Chaplain:
Create a new, quite separate, private company – say Murdoch Newspaper Holdings – and give it all, or most of, the papers that News Corp owns.2011 September 18, Peter Preston, The Observer:
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Preceding nouns introduced by the indefinite article. Chiefly in negative constructions.
I ventured to hint that he was not quite a fair judge, as [Charles] Churchill had attacked him violently.1791, James Boswell, “[1763]”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], volume I, London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 227:
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.1920, John Galsworthy, “Timothy Stays the Rot”, in In Chancery (The Forsyte Saga; 2), London: William Heinemann, →OCLC, part II, page 212:
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With adverbs of manner.
However, the proceedings were quite carefully orchestrated to produce what seemed to be a predetermined outcome.2009, John F. Schmutz, The Battle of the Crater: A complete history:
Higher education institutions in the UK are, quite rightly, largely autonomous.2011 October 18, Bob Burgess, The Guardian:
› In a fully justified sense; truly…
7
Coming before the indefinite article and an attributive adjective. (Now largely merged with moderative senses, below.)
"My little plot has been rather successful, after all, hasn't it?" "Quite a perfect success," said Drake.1898, Charles Garvice, Nell of Shorne Mills:
While the government claims to lead the world with its plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the figures tell quite a different story.2001 February 7, Paul Brown, The Guardian:
8
With plain adjectives, past participles, and adverbs.
“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.”1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
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.2010 November 5, Dave Hill, The Guardian:
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Coming before the definite article and an attributive superlative.
Laploshka was one of the meanest men I have ever met, and quite one of the most entertaining.1910, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Soul of Laploshka”, in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC, page 66:
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.1923 October 8, “The New Pictures”, in Time:
10
Before a noun preceded by an indefinite article; now often with ironic implications that the noun in question is particularly noteworthy or remarkable.
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.1830, Senate debate, 15 April
“Looks like you and Clay had quite a party,” she said with a glimmer in her dark blue eyes.2011, Gilbert Morris, The Crossing:
11
Before a noun preceded by the definite article.
It's not quite the colour I am looking for.
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.1871 July – 1873 February, Anthony Trollope, “The Aspirations of Mr. Emilius”, in The Eustace Diamonds. A Novel, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], published 1872, →OCLC, page 288, column 1:
1 more example
His memoir features a child named Tommy Nothing Fancy who suffers from and dies of a seizure disorder. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?2006 February 6, Sherman Alexie, “When the story stolen is your own”, in Time:
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).