unspokenun‧spok‧en /ʌnˈspoʊkən $ -ˈspoʊ-/ adjective - unspoken thoughts
- We had an unspoken agreement not to ask personal questions.
- All this was unspoken, of course.
- All through the day, remember to show him you like him in unspoken ways like smiles, pats and brief hugs.
- Given the tone of our conversation and the weather, an entire nexus of unspoken intrigue suddenly surrounded me.
- He left swiftly and she gazed after him, the words of refusal unspoken.
- Their attempts at lovemaking dwindled to the point of non-existence, until there was an unspoken agreement not to try any more.
- We do not, by unspoken consent, talk politics when we meet.
► a tacit/unspoken assumption (=one that no one says aloud)· There seemed to be a tacit assumption that they would get married.
NOUN► agreement· Their attempts at lovemaking dwindled to the point of non-existence, until there was an unspoken agreement not to try any more.· There would have to be an unspoken agreement between them.· By some unspoken agreement they settled quietly together to watch the night fall and the heavy tide thunder in.· An unspoken agreement grants peace and prosperity, respectively, to scholars and publishers who stay out of the public debate.
► assumption· Children so treated all too quickly respond to their teacher's unspoken assumptions.· Electronic commerce depends on the unspoken assumption that computers cooperate efficiently for seamless information sharing.· Rather it may point to an unspoken assumption that it does.· The unspoken assumption in all the speculation is that Yeltsin is too sick to serve out his four-year term.· Taking generalised formulations of legal theory seriously can often lead into the cul-de-sac of the unspoken assumption of that theory.· Thus unspoken assumptions about work actually interfered with business goals.· There is often an unspoken assumption that they are a waste of resources that could be used to save younger people.· It often appears in general Synod with some unspoken assumptions about the text of the Bible.
► question· But the last unspoken question consumed her with fresh guilt.· The unspoken question among them seems to be: What's it going to be, boxing or chess?· One way of understanding this is to view the discourse as proceeding by answering imagined and unspoken questions by the receiver.· Everywhere an unspoken question seemed to hang heavily in the air: Would we have been better off without Home Rule?· The air was suddenly thick with unspoken questions.· Perhaps you do not want to pass on; in which case I shall answer your unspoken question.· And Cardiff seemed to hear that unspoken question again: Is it you?
► rule· Meanwhile, residential social work is hedged about with overt and unspoken rules in any effort to improve matters.· For there is an unspoken rule that to swoop too eagerly on the in-flight sweet is uncool.
adjectiveunspeakablespeechlessoutspokenspoken ≠ unspokennounspeakerspeechverbspeakadverbunspeakably