Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Silence

Si′lence

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
silentium
. See
Silent
.]
1.
The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness.
I saw and heared; for such a numerous host
Fled not in
silence
through the frighted deep.
Milton.
2.
Forbearance from, or absence of, speech; taciturnity; muteness.
3.
Secrecy;
as, these things were transacted in
silence
.
The administration itself keeps a profound
silence
.
D. Webster.
4.
The cessation of rage, agitation, or tumilt; calmness; quiest;
as, the elements were reduced to
silence
.
5.
Absence of mention; oblivion.
And what most merits fame, in
silence
hid.
Milton.

Si′lence

,
int
erj.
Be silent; – used elliptically for let there be silence, or keep silence.
Shak.

Si′lence

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Silenced
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Silencing
.]
1.
To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush.
Silence
that dreadful bell; it frights the isle.
Shakespeare
2.
To put to rest; to quiet.
This would
silence
all further opposition.
Clarendon.
These would have
silenced
their scruples.
Rogers.
3.
To restrain from the exercise of any function, privilege of instruction, or the like, especially from the act of preaching;
as, to
silence
a minister of the gospel
.
The Rev. Thomas Hooker of Chelmsford, in Essex, was
silenced
for nonconformity.
B. Trumbull.
4.
To cause to cease firing, as by a vigorous cannonade;
as, to
silence
the batteries of an enemy
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Silence

SI'LENCE

,
Noun.
[L. silentium, from sileo, to be still.]
1.
In a general sense, stillness, or entire absence of sound or noise; as the silence of midnight.
2.
In animals, the state of holding the peace; forbearance of speech in man, or of noise in other animals. I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, even from good. Ps 39.
3.
Habitual taciturnity; opposed to loquacity.
4.
Secrecy. These things were transacted in silence.
5.
Stillness; calmness; quiet; cessation of rage, agitation or tumult; as the elements reduced to silence.
6.
Absence of mention; oblivion, Eternal silence be their doom. And what most merits fame, in silence hid.
7.
Silence, in used elliptically for let there be silence, an injunction to keep silence.

SI'LENCE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To oblige to hold the peace; to restrain from noise or speaking.
2.
To still; to quiet; to restrain; to appease. This would silence all further opposition. These would have silenced their scruples.
3.
To stop; as, to silence complaints or clamor.
4.
To still; to cause to cease firing; as, to silence guns or a battery.
5.
To restrain from preaching by revoking a license to preach; as, to silence a minister of the gospel. The Rev. Thomas Hooker, of Chelmsford in Essex, was silenced for non-conformity.
6.
To put an end to; to cause to cease. The question between agriculture and commerce has received a decision which has silenced the rivalships between them.

Definition 2024

silence

silence

English

Noun

silence ‎(usually uncountable, plural silences)

  1. The lack 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

Related terms

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 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.
  3. (molecular biology) To block gene expression.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Interjection

silence

  1. A common imperative instructing the addressed to remain silent.
    • Silence! Enough of your insolence!

Translations

Synonyms

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: regard · married · slowly · #702: silence · afterwards · horses · wonder

Anagrams

French

Etymology

Latin silentium ‎(“silence”)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /si.lɑ̃s/
  • Homophone: silences

Noun

silence m ‎(plural silences)

  1. silence

Antonyms

Derived terms

Ido

Etymology

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

Adverb

silence

  1. noiselessly, silently, quietly

Related terms

Middle French

Noun

silence f (plural silences)

  1. silence (absence of noise)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsaɪləns/
  • Rhymes: -aɪləns

Similar Results