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silence - 7 dictionary results
si⋅lence
[sahy-luh
ns] 
noun, verb, -lenced, -lenc⋅ing, interjection –noun
| 1. | absence of any sound or noise; stillness. |
| 2. | the state or fact of being silent; muteness. |
| 3. | absence or omission of mention, comment, or expressed concern: the conspicuous silence of our newspapers on local graft. |
| 4. | the state of being forgotten; oblivion: in the news again after years of silence. |
| 5. | concealment; secrecy. |
–verb (used with object)
| 6. | to put or bring to silence; still. |
| 7. | to put (doubts, fears, etc.) to rest; quiet. |
| 8. | Military. to still (enemy guns), as by more effective fire. |
–interjection
| 9. | be silent! “Silence!” the teacher shouted. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To silence
| si·lence (sī'ləns) n.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silēns, silent-, present participle of silēre, to be silent.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Silence
Si"lence\, n. [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.Silence
Si"lence\, interj. Be silent; -- used elliptically for let there be silence, or keep silence. --Shak.Silence
Si"lence\, v. 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. --Shak. 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's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : silence
Spanish:
silencio,
German:
das Schweigen,
Japanese:
沈黙
silence (n.)
c.1225, from O.Fr. silence "absence of sound," from L. silentium "a being silent," from silens, prp. of silere "be quiet or still," of unknown origin. Replaced O.E. swige. The verb (trans.) is attested from 1597, from the noun. Silencer "mechanism that stifles the sound of a motor or firearm" first recorded 1898.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: si·lence
Function: noun
1 : the state of keeping or being silent; especially : forbearance from speech or comment
2 : failure to make something known esp. in violation of a duty to do so
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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