qui|e|tus

qui|e|tus «kwy EE tuhs», noun.

1. a final getting rid of anything; finishing stroke; anything that ends or settles: »

The arrival of the militia gave the riot its quietus. At his press conference…President Eisenhower rightly tried to put the quietus on the war talk of some in the Administration and Congress (Wall Street Journal).

2. something that quiets: »

The nurse ran to give its accustomed quietus to the little screaming infant (Thackeray).

3. a discharge given on payment or settlement of accounts.

╂[< Medieval Latin quietus est he is discharged < Latin quiētus est he is at rest; quiētus quiet, adjective]