| 释义 |
silencer|ˈsaɪlənsə(r)|
[f. silence v. + -er1.]
1. One who, or that which, silences; a conclusive argument or retort.
1635Strafford Lett. (1739) I. 419 Death (the great Silencer of all our Words and Thoughts). 1684Baxter Twelve Argt. Post. N 3, Both Extreams..are silencers of all that would undeceive them. 1817Keats To Georgiana A. Wylie 64 Bane of every wicked spell; Silencer of dragon's yell. 1871G. Meredith Harry Richmond xv, But my retort..was a silencer.
2. A piece of mechanism attached to a motor vehicle and used to silence or reduce the sound naturally caused by its working; also, a similar contrivance attached to a maxim gun, rifle, etc.
1898Autocar 5 Feb. 93/2 A more satisfactory silencer than the average run of silencers on Bollées. 1905Engineering 20 Oct. 529/3 This form of silencer is not necessarily confined to marine motors. 1926G. Hunting Vicarion vi. 98 He must have had a silencer on his gun. 1950G. Brenan Face of Spain vii. 149 Nine hours in a bus without a silencer..over mountain roads full of pot-holes. 1958Economist 25 Oct. 349/3 Silencers on the engines reduce their efficiency by 4 to 5 per cent, and the total weight of silencing equipment is 1,600 lb, equivalent to 8 passengers. 1978R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant iii. 44 He opened the door, pulled out his revolver and fired, the gunshot muted by a silencer.
Hence ˈsilencered a., of guns: fitted with a silencer (cf. silenced ppl. a. b).
1967J. Wainwright Worms must Wait lxxxii. 214 They heard the tiny crack of the silencered Luger. |