Weekly Word: Quietus

It’s that time of week again where I share a word that I find interesting and a little story in which I use it.

This week’s Weekly Word is: quietus

Part of Speech

noun

Pronunciation

qui·e·tus / kwī-ē′təs / kwahy-ee-tuh s

Meaning

1. Anything that serves to suppress, check, eliminate, or end

2. Release from life; death

3. A final discharge or release from a duty, debt or obligation

Word Forms

Plural – quietuses

Word Origin

1530–40; from Middle English quietus est, borrowed from Medieval Latin, “he is quit,” formula of discharge from obligation.

Synonyms

clincher, overthrow, coup de grace, death blow, final blow
curtains, death, demise, decease, departure, end, exit, passage, passing on, final exit
absolution, acquittal, deliveramce, delivery, discharge, emancipation, exoneration, freedom, pardon, quittance, liberty, liberation, manumission, release

Use the Word

Quietus

Frederic lifted shaking fingers to the family portrait that hung upon the wall.

His quietus was finally upon him. Today, here and now, would see the discharging of his debt. He’d tried to squirm out of his obligations. He’d twisted and turned, and sought out any loophole that might free him, but all he’d ever managed to achieve was a further tightening of the noose.

Now, though, he had been offered a new deal. He had been granted the opportunity to end his family’s suffering. Even more than that, he could make sure that all of the unpleasantries they’d experienced were eliminated, as if he had never been in their lives at all. With quietus delivered in the life ending blow, his soul would be delivered to the being who had given him both such riches in his early years, and such misery since his debt had come due.

He murmured a silent farewell and drove the blade into his chest. Quietus was achieved as the sound of eerie laughter filled his ears.

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If you would like to join in with this activity in any way, feel free to do so. You could either share a Weekly Word of your own – this week beginning with the letter Q – or you could use my word, or Millie Thom’s, as inspiration for a post. This could be a piece of poetry, flash fiction, or any form of prose that you choose. Just share a link in the comments so we can see what you’ve been up to!