quote
quote — verb
1. To reproduce what someone else said or wrote, using their precise language and u
To reproduce what someone else said or wrote, using their precise language and usually naming the original speaker or writer.
In her speech, the professor quoted Marie Curie on the value of curiosity.
quote + [name] + on + [topic]
Arjun often quotes lines from his favourite films when chatting with friends.
The news article quoted the mayor without verifying the original recording.
passive construction: be quoted + from/by
Can you quote the exact sentence from the contract that mentions the deadline?
quote + noun phrase + from + [source]
Stefan quoted a Bible passage so accurately that the whole class was impressed.
- quote directly
- quote verbatim
- quote from memory
- quote a passage
- quote a line
- quote someone's words
- paraphrase
to express the same idea using different words
Grammar Patterns
quote + noun phrase (a passage, a line, someone's words)
quote + someone + as + -ing form
Usage Note
Commonly used with direct speech in writing ('He quoted the CEO: "We will expand."'). In academic contexts, quoting requires citing the source.
Common Mistakes
2. To mention a specific fact, figure, or case as support for a claim you are makin
To mention a specific fact, figure, or case as support for a claim you are making.
The journalist quoted unemployment figures to show the economic slowdown.
quote + [statistic] + to + [purpose]
Ife quoted several studies from medical journals during her presentation on vaccines.
To prove her point, the lawyer quoted a similar case from last year.
quote + [example/case] + from + [source]
Kian quoted rising temperatures in the Arctic as evidence of climate change.
quote + noun phrase + as + [evidence/reason]
The report quoted customer satisfaction data from over two thousand respondents.
- quote statistics
- quote figures
- quote an example
- quote a study
- quote data
Grammar Patterns
quote + noun phrase (a fact, figure, example, statistic)
Common Mistakes
3. To state what you will charge a buyer for a specific product, service, or job.
To state what you will charge a buyer for a specific product, service, or job.
The mechanic quoted us three hundred dollars to fix the brakes.
quote + someone + price + for + [service]
Several builders came to the house and quoted different prices for the renovation.
Gabriel asked three web designers to quote for building his company website.
quote for + [job/project]
The travel agency quoted a surprisingly low rate for the round trip to Tokyo.
Before hiring anyone, you should ask each painter to quote their full fee in writing.
quote + [price] + in writing
- quote a price
- quote a rate
- quote for a job
- quote competitively
- quote in writing
Grammar Patterns
quote + someone + noun phrase (a price, a rate)
quote + noun phrase + for + [service/job]
quote for + [service/job]
Usage Note
This sense is common in business and service contexts. The price quoted is an estimate — the final cost may change if the scope of work changes.
Common Mistakes
4. To place quotation marks around a written word or term to indicate that it is be
To place quotation marks around a written word or term to indicate that it is being used in an unusual, ironic, or self-aware way.
The author quoted the word 'experts' to suggest they were not truly knowledgeable.
quote + [word] + to + [purpose]
Ada quoted the term 'natural' to show the label had no official meaning.
Minho quoted the phrase 'urgent matter' in her email to joke about the delay.
People who work from home often quote the word 'office' to mean a spare room.
quote + [word] + to mean + [definition]
- quote a word
- quote a term
- quote a phrase
- put in quotes
more informal; common in spoken English
- enclose in quotation marks
more formal and technical
Grammar Patterns
quote + noun phrase (a word, a term)
Usage Note
This sense is most common in writing and editing. In informal speech, people say 'quote unquote' before or after a word to show the same meaning (e.g., 'He was, quote unquote, helping.').
quote unquote
idiomUsed in speech to show that the following (or preceding) word or phrase is being quoted from someone else, or to signal irony or distance from a term.
The team lead said he was, quote unquote, too busy to help with the project.
The company offers a, quote unquote, flexible schedule that actually requires sixty hours a week.
quote (… unquote)
idiomThis phrase is used in speech to show that you are repeating someone else's exact words, often to express doubt or disagreement.
Maya said she was, quote, 'too busy to help', unquote, which upset me.
The manager called it a, quote unquote, 'strategic retreat' from the market.
quote — noun
1. A written or spoken statement of the amount of money that will be charged for a
A written or spoken statement of the amount of money that will be charged for a particular service or piece of work.
The plumber gave us a written quote for replacing the entire heating system.
quote + for + [work/project]
We received three different quotes and chose the cheapest contractor.
Make sure the quote includes the cost of materials as well as labour.
Yan asked for a free quote before agreeing to the kitchen renovation.
ask for a quote
The builder's quote was much higher than what the materials actually cost.
- get a quote
- provide a quote
- request a quote
- free quote
- written quote
Grammar Patterns
quote + for + [service/job]
Usage Note
A 'quote' (noun sense 1) is closely related to the verb 'quote' (sense 3). A quote is the actual price statement; a 'quote' is also called an 'estimate' or 'quotation' in formal business English.
Common Mistakes
2. Either of the punctuation marks " " or ' ' used in writing to show that the word
Either of the punctuation marks " " or ' ' used in writing to show that the words they enclose are being quoted or referred to in a special way.
Put the article title in double quotes and the chapter name in single quotes.
in double quotes / in single quotes
Diego noticed that his name appeared in quotes throughout the document.
British English typically uses single quotes, while American English prefers double quotes.
single quotes vs double quotes — variety difference
The quotes around 'urgent' in the email made Zayd wonder if it truly was.
If you are quoting someone within a quote, use a different style of quotation marks.
nested quotes: quote within a quote
- in quotes
- double quotes
- single quotes
- open quotes
- close quotes
- quotation marks
more formal name for the punctuation symbols
- speech marks
common in British English, especially for dialogue
Grammar Patterns
in quotes
put something in quotes
Usage Note
Often called 'quotation marks' in formal writing. In informal contexts, writers may call them 'speech marks' or simply 'quotes'. American English favours double quotes first; British English favours single quotes first.
Common Mistakes
3. A short passage taken from a speech, book, poem, or other source and repeated by
A short passage taken from a speech, book, poem, or other source and repeated by someone else.
The article began with a famous quote from Nelson Mandela about education.
quote + from + [person/source]
Matthew wrote down his favourite quote from the novel and pinned it above his desk.
Ari's speech was full of inspiring quotes that the audience later shared on social media.
A good quote can make a presentation much more memorable for the listeners.
The teacher asked each student to find a quote that reflected their personal values.
find a quote + that-clause
- famous quote
- direct quote
- quote from a book
- inspirational quote
- favourite quote
Grammar Patterns
quote + from + [source]
Usage Note
This sense is interchangeable with 'quotation' in most contexts, though 'quote' is more common in informal speech. A quote is usually brief — longer passages are typically called 'extracts' or 'excerpts'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- quotationnounB1
- quotableadjectiveB2
- quotativeadjectiveC1
- unquotableadjectiveC1
- quotabilitynounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
'Quote' and 'cite' both involve referring to an external source, but 'quote' requires reproducing the exact words, while 'cite' means mentioning a source as authority or evidence without necessarily repeating its language. 'Paraphrase' is the opposite of quoting — you restate the idea in your own words. 'Recite' overlaps with 'quote' when you say something from memory, but 'recite' often implies performing a longer passage (a poem, a speech) for an audience, whereas 'quote' can be just a short line inserted into conversation. For example: a student might quote a statistic in an essay (exact words), cite a scholarly article in a bibliography (reference only), paraphrase a paragraph from a textbook (own words), or recite a poem at a school assembly (perform from memory).
Common collocations
Etymology
'Quote' comes from the Latin word 'quotare', which meant 'to mark with numbers' (from 'quotus' meaning 'how many'). In medieval times, it referred to numbering chapters and verses in texts. By the 1500s, it had taken on the meaning of 'citing a passage by number', and later simply 'repeating someone else's words'. The modern pricing sense emerged in the late 1800s from the idea of 'stating a current market price'.