silence

English

Etymology

From Middle English silence, from Old French silence, from Latin silentium (“silence”).

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪləns

Noun

silence (usually uncountable, plural silences)

  1. The absence of any sound.
    When the motor stopped, the silence was almost deafening.
  2. The act of refraining from speaking.
    "You have the right to silence," said the police officer.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 5, in The Celebrity:
      Then we relapsed into a discomfited silence, and wished we were anywhere else. But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud, and with such a hearty enjoyment that instead of getting angry and more mortified we began to laugh ourselves, and instantly felt better.
    • D. Webster
      The administration itself keeps a profound silence.
  3. Form of meditative worship practiced by the Society of Friends (Quakers); meeting for worship.
    During silence a message came to me that there was that of God in every person.

Synonyms

Derived terms
Terms derived from silence (noun)

Translations

Verb

silence (third-person singular simple present silences, present participle silencing, simple past and past participle silenced)

  1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) silent.
    Can you silence the crowd, so we can start the show?
  2. (transitive) To repress the expression of something.
    Women, as well as children, have their thoughts or emotions routinely silenced.
  3. (transitive) To suppress criticism, etc.
    Silence the critics.
    Silence the doubters.
    • 2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian‎:
      A state ideology, mixing nationalism, and basic Marxist economics, going under the name "Juche", was constructed, and Kim Il-sung effectively silenced, disposed of and cleared away any opposition, isolating the country and exercising an iron grip on the military, the state media and the government and party organs.
  4. (molecular biology) To block gene expression.
  5. (euphemistic) murder
    • 2013, Mark Shaw, The Poison Patriarch: How the Betrayals of Joseph P. Kennedy Caused the Assassination of JFK, →ISBN, page 150:
      They, and others through the years, believed Ruby must have acted on his own since there was no logic to the supposition that anyone could trust an uncontrollable, unreliable loudmouth like Ruby to silence Oswald.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Interjection

silence

  1. (imperative) Be silent.
    Silence! Enough of your insolence!
    • 2007 September 17, Jeff Dunham as Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Spark of Insanity‎:
      (in response to laughter from the audience)
      Silence! I kill you!

Synonyms

Translations

Anagrams

French

Etymology

Latin silentium (“silence”)

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /si.lɑ̃s/
  • Audio (France, Paris)(file)
  • Homophone: silences

Noun

silence m (plural silences)

  1. silence

Antonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

Ido

Etymology

silenco (“silence”) +‎ -e (indicates an adverb).

Adverb

silence

  1. noiselessly, silently, quietly

Middle English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old French silence, from Latin silentium.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /siːˈlɛns(ə)/, /siˈlɛns(ə)/

Noun

silence (uncountable)

  1. Silence; the state of refraining or refusing to speak.
    • a. 1382, John Wycliffe, “Apocalips 8:1”, in Wycliffe's Bible:
      And whanne he hadde openyd the seuenthe seel, a silence was maad in heuene, as half an our.
      And when he had opened the seventh seal, silence occurred in heaven for half an hour.
  2. Peace, calm; a state of tranquil and restful behaviour.
  3. Quietness; a lack of sound or speaking (for a given area or time).
  4. Refraining from excessive speaking or talking.
  5. The following of a religious vow of silence.
  6. (rare) The termination of a dispute or conflict.
  7. (rare) Secrecy or freedom from disruption.

Descendants

References

Middle French

Noun

silence f (plural silences)

  1. silence (absence of noise)
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