| a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
"It is time for America's silent majority to stand up for its rights, and let us remember the American majority includes every minority. America's silent majority is bewildered by irrational protest." [Spiro T. Agnew, May 9, 1969]In Victorian use, the phrase meant "the dead" (1874).
silent si·lent (sī'lənt)
adj.
Producing no detectable signs or symptoms. Used of certain diseases or pathological processes.
silent (sī'lənt) Pronunciation Key
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