silence

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪləns

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.

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.

Interjection

silence

1. (imperative) Be silent.

   Silence! Enough of your insolence!

Anagrams

• license, selenic

Etymology

Latin silentium (“silence”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /si.lɑ̃s/

• Audio (France, Paris)

  (file)

• Homophone: silences

Noun

silence m (plural silences)

1. silence

Further reading

• “silence” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

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

Adverb

silence

1. noiselessly, silently, quietly

Noun

silence f (plural silences)

1. silence (absence of noise)