ciunasn.int.
/ˈkjuːnəs/, U.S. /ˈkjunəs/, Irish English /ˈkjuːnəs/ Irish English.
A. n.
Silence; quiet; esp.(in a social environment) silence instilled when people refrain from speech or noise.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > inaudibility > [noun] > silence
stillnessc1050
silence?c1225
clum1340
stillhead1340
quiet?c1450
whust1558
husht1566
muteness1590
silency1595
still1608
hushtness1609
whistness1609
silentness1664
noiselessness1834
soundlessness1834
non-speech1863
shush1954
deafening silence1968
ciunas1986
1986 Irish Independent 5 Nov. 5/5 The sound of ciuineas. Leinster House greeted La na Gaeilge with a deafening sound of silence.
1999 Bks. Ireland Apr. 109/1 And in the ciunas A pencil stutters down The scarred desktop, thuds Softly to the dusty boards.
2018 Herald (Ireland) (Nexis) 4 July After Dublin's swansong in Salthill last month, he called for ciúnas in the dressing-room.
B. int.
Used as a command or request for silence: ‘be quiet’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > inaudibility > be silent [interjection]
silence?c1225
peacec1390
whista1425
softlya1500
softc1500
husht1532
ist1540
st1552
soft and peace1576
pocas palabras1592
isse1598
hist1599
whish1635
whisht1684
quiet1814
fusht1816
pax1843
sh1847
pst1863
ciunas1987
the mind > language > speech > taciturnity or reticence > taciturnity [interjection] > silence or do not speak
muma1500
mum's the word1540
mumbudgeta1566
viaa1616
quiet1814
shuddup1940
ciunas1987
1987 Irish Press 7 Dec. 7/3 Even the pint glasses were cushioned to avoid a collective roar of ‘Ciunas’ from the assembled faithful [at a folk music club].
1998 T. P. Dolan Dict. Hiberno-Eng. 62/2 Ciúnas! or ill get the bata [stick] out.
2011 Wexford (Ireland) People (Nexis) 30 Nov. (Sports section) Some adventurous Chairmen say ‘ciunas lads’ or ‘one at a time please’ but these are usually voted out as speedily as possible.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2022).
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n.int.1986