silence

plural silences

1. uncountableusuallyThe absence of any sound.

   in silence

   4 more examples

   When the motor stopped, the silence was almost deafening.

   Words like violence break the silence / Come crashing in into my little world

   1990, Martin L. Gore, “Enjoy the Silence”, in Violator, performed by Depeche Mode

   deadly silence

   There was a dead silence for a few seconds.

2. uncountableusuallyThe act of refraining from speaking.

   "You have the right to silence," said the police officer.

   2 more examples

   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.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   1832, Daniel Webster, "a convention", quoted in The History of the Union, and of the Constitution by Charles Chauncey Burr The administration itself keeps a profound silence.

3. uncountableusuallyRefraining from speaking, for purposes of prayer or meditation; especially, a form of worship practiced by the Society of Friends (Quakers) during meetings.

   During silence a message came to me that there was that of God in every person.

present singular third person silences · participle present silencing · participle past silenced · past silenced

1. transitiveTo make (someone or something) silent.

   Can you silence the crowd, so we can start the show?

   Synonyms: mute

2. transitiveTo repress the expression of something.

   Women, as well as children, have their thoughts or emotions routinely silenced.

3. transitiveTo suppress criticism, etc.

   Silence the critics.

   2 more examples

   Silence the doubters.

   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.

   2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian

4. molecular biologyTo block gene expression.
5. euphemisticTo murder.

   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.

   2013, Mark Shaw, The Poison Patriarch: How the Betrayals of Joseph P. Kennedy Caused the Assassination of JFK, →ISBN, page 150

1. imperativeBe silent.

   Silence! Enough of your insolence!

   1 more example

   (in response to laughter from the audience) Silence! I kill you!

   2007 September 17, Spark of Insanity, spoken by Achmed the Dead Terrorist (Jeff Dunham)

   Synonyms: be quiet, hush, shush, shut up, whist

1. rareA female given name from English.