Definition of silence in English:

silence

noun ˈsʌɪlənsˈsaɪləns

mass noun

1Complete absence of sound.
sirens pierce the silence of the night
count noun an eerie silence descended over the house
Example sentencesExamples
- The only sounds breaking the silence of the night were our footsteps, along with our shallow breathing.
- The acoustics of the Music Centre will be excellent, including high quality of sound in each studio, and high standards for silence and absence of intrusion.
- Nor was it truly noise, because if it were noise, then it could cease, and that cessation of sound would be silence.
- They rode in almost complete silence just enjoying the sounds of the summer night.
- After a day of silence, the sounds outside descend upon the ears in a symphonic scale.
- Her fingers found the edge of the door without her consent; the dull, hushed sounds of secretive whispers somehow pierced the airy silence.
- The most underrated element in modern cinema is the sound of silence.
- Suddenly, the distant sound of sirens pierced the silence as the sound approached closer to the house.
- DJs are forced to work with a limited palette, their only two tools being sound and silence.
- You haven't heard the sound of true absolute silence since 1977, and when you did, it terrified you.
- A week in the high desert country of the Wind River Range, with time for silence and solitude, sounded just about right.
- In this setting, however, the usual silence sounded like the correlate of boundless, nearly empty space.
- Instead, his students created tiny theatre exercises, starting with silence and gradually adding sound.
- There is silence, then the sound of one pair of Hands applauding.
- Some scenes are hampered by an eerie tinny sound during moments of silence.
- There was no wind rushing past his body, only eerie silence as he descended at breakneck speed.
- Unlocking the main door, I step in, taking off my shoes, despite the eerie silence, despite the fear caused by the absence of lights in the hall.
- I'D NEVER truly heard the sound of silence before - and let me tell you, it's an eerie experience.
- Quietly, but determinedly, she began to strum the low, bass notes of the guitar, its deep strain sounding in the empty silence.
- She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was glad of the eerie silence and peacefulness.
Synonyms
quietness, quiet, quietude, still, stillness, hush, tranquillity, noiselessness, soundlessness, peace, peacefulness, peace and quiet
1. 1.1 The fact or state of abstaining from speech.
  Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence
  she was reduced to silence for a moment
  we finished our meal in silence
  Example sentencesExamples
  I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but our silence said so much.
  In fact, the awkward silence lasted until I took Jessie's advice and dumped Marie a block away from the party.
  He stared at the door in silence now, then when the silence began to trouble him he hurried back to his quarters.
  The member did ask to be heard in silence, so therefore there should be silence.
  In fact there was silence until the Earl of Strathmore came in with two dark-haired young men dressed in morning suits.
  They continued again in silence again, but it was a comfortable, companionable silence.
  In several other poems, he expresses a similar ambivalence, between silence and speech, action and passivity.
  Her silence after the speech was utterly different than her silence before the speech.
  No one around you likes you so they're hoping their silence will prove that fact and you'll go away.
  We drove to my house in silence, well silence from our mouths but not from the radio.
  After sitting in silence and enjoying the re - heated meal, Anthony broke the silence with a most unusual question.
  I turned and looked at the ground where Jared lay in silence but his silence was broken every few seconds with spasms of laughter.
  They ate in silence, until Mollie, full to bursting with unanswered questions, broke the silence.
  They drove home in silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other and Jinx not bothering to break the silence.
  The way she said it told William that she had closed any further discussion about it, so silence, once again, filled their ears.
  They were riding along in silence for a few moments, then Alia broke the silence.
  They sat in silence for a long time until Devin finally broke the silence.
  They sat in silence for a moment, and this silence was uncomfortable.
  They flew in silence for a long time after that, nothing but the hum of their engines disrupting the silence.
  They rode in silence, Cora's a happy and blissful silence, Arlan's a sulky, resentful silence.
  Synonyms
  speechlessness, wordlessness, voicelessness, dumbness, muteness
  taciturnity, reticence, uncommunicativeness, unresponsiveness
2. 1.2 The avoidance of mentioning or discussing something.
  politicians keep their silence on the big questions
  Example sentencesExamples
  Please explain as your secrecy and silence is creating a crescendo of innuendo.
  The big silence that we spoke about means that they did not really understand.
  It is implied that the truth has been withheld, and that silence has prevailed where speech should have occurred.
  Although it occurred some two or three weeks ago, the local police have maintained a stony silence with respect to the theft.
  Kimmitt could create credibility for the investigation with patient silence until the facts emerge.
  By their silence, both parties also conveyed to big business that, if elected, they would not oppose further restructuring.
  The expert has so far kept his silence, despite being under massive pressure to discuss his findings in recent weeks.
  This silence is no big deal to her, because she knows she will phone when she feels like it and I will be there.
  Was not the official government silence deafening on this matter of security?
  The alternative is silence: secrecy when self-imposed, censorship when imposed by others.
  So far there's been only silence from the big three networks, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
  On that note, the silence from politicians and pundits is deafening.
  Their silence and secrecy worried Marc, and he wondered if something had happened.
  His silence cannot hide the fact that this war represents a profound turning point in international relations.
  In a rare reference teams are mentioned pejoratively for their potential contribution to a culture of silence and resistance through norms of loyalty.
  As Brandeis put it, ‘the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.’
  But none of this excuses the fact that Hollywood's silence is deafening.
  The silence of politicians to this scandal is astounding.
  In the presence of official silence, the facts alleged gain credibility.
  But one of the things that of course was quite haunting about all this silence was the fact that the story of his father was not really present in his life as he grew up.
  Synonyms
  secretiveness, secrecy, reticence, taciturnity, uncommunicativeness, concealment
3. 1.3count noun A short appointed period of time during which people stand still and do not speak as a sign of respect for a dead person or group of people.
  the game was preceded by a two-minute silence in his memory
  Example sentencesExamples
  The proceedings included a poignant silence in memory of former colleagues who had died.
  Some shops are also planning to shut down as a mark of respect, while others are considering a two-minute silence at 11.30 am.
  As we sat in the departure lounge at the airport there was a national moment of silence to honor the dead.
  The House observed two-minute silence in memory of the children.
  A short silence in memory of the tsunami victims was observed at the start of the January meeting.
  Bolton, along with other towns and cities across the country, will observe a three-minute silence at noon tomorrow.
  The NFL flew flags at half-mast and held a moment of silence in memory of White.

verb ˈsʌɪlənsˈsaɪləns

[with object]

1Cause to become silent; prohibit or prevent from speaking.
she was silenced by the Inspector's stern look
the team's performance silenced their critics
Example sentencesExamples
- The 4-0 performance was also one Parsley hopes will silence the critics.
- McCann pointed to his company's track record to silence critics.
- If there were ever doubt that he can be an amazing actor, this movie will silence his critics.
- To become a fluent writer, she argues, one must silence the critic early in the process.
- He could silence many of his critics by playing consistently - as he did last spring.
- But over the Easter period his team have come up with two smashing victories which will have gone a long way to silencing the critics.
- He urgently needs a fresh mandate in order to silence his critics.
- Essentially the government's aim is to restrict freedom of the press in order to silence any voice of criticism, no matter how faltering.
- Unfortunately, I doubt whether such reassurances will silence the critics.
- This has purchased him more time, and will silence his critics.
- However, that has failed to silence critics who claim that the judge's credibility has been damaged and that he must go.
- His answer is as refreshing as it has been, by his account, effective in silencing the critics.
- Many corporations are using defamation laws as a cheap and convenient way to silence their critics.
- So will these studies be enough to silence the company's critics?
- Instead of silencing his critics, it's more likely to provide them with further ammunition.
- The four-minute mile was the kind of achievement that would silence critics, and prove to the athlete that he deserved to be called the best.
- Masters is confident that their debut album will silence critics who have accused their singles of sounding weak.
- This was not the first time that the paper tried to silence critics.
- And the best way to silence critics is by scoring consistently and never changing.
- Threatening to sue in order to silence a critic has simply spread the criticism much, much farther.
Synonyms
quieten, quiet, hush, shush, still
gag, muzzle, censor, stifle
stop, put an end to, put a stop to, cut short, suppress
1. 1.1usually as adjective silenced Fit (a gun or an exhaust system) with a silencer.
  a silenced .22 rifle
  Example sentencesExamples
  He had just silenced the gun when he was killed instantly by a burst from a machine pistol.
  The noise signature has been reduced with engine and exhaust silencing systems.
  Synonyms
  muffle, deaden, soften, mute, smother, dampen, damp down, tone down, mask, suppress, reduce, abate
  extinguish, kill

Phrases

silence is golden

proverb It's often wise to say nothing.
Example sentencesExamples
- It's almost like being in a library - silence is golden.
- As a rule, silence is golden, and generally we do not regret having held our peace.
- In some countries, silence is golden; in others, it makes people uncomfortable.
- This week's secretive populace have embraced the concept that silence is golden, so liberating information could be about as easy as extracting Excalibur from the rock.
- Somebody told me when I was a little girl that silence is golden.
- ‘David should think next time that talking is silver, silence is golden,’ the Swede said.
- I shrugged, Joe shrugged too and both of us had decided that silence is golden.
- Perhaps it would be better considered a civil sphere - a public sphere - that needs to be cultivated at a time when dissent is so easily viewed as a threat and when, to quote the spectacular movie theater slogan, silence is golden.
- Forty five per cent felt silence is golden aiding concentration, creatively and ultimately productivity.
- Yah, silence is golden but you can't stay for the rest of your life trapped in a bubble.

Origin

Middle English: from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silere 'be silent'.

Both silence and silent (Late Middle English) came from Latin silere, ‘to be silent’. The fuller form of silence is golden is speech is silver but silence is golden. Both are recorded from the 19th century. Originally the silent majority were the dead. In the 20th century they became those who hold moderate opinions but rarely express them. Richard Nixon brought the phrase to prominence by claiming to speak for this section of society in his 1968 presidential campaign.

Definition of silence in US English:

silence

nounˈsaɪlənsˈsīləns

1Complete absence of sound.
sirens pierce the silence of the night
an eerie silence descended over the house
Example sentencesExamples
- DJs are forced to work with a limited palette, their only two tools being sound and silence.
- In this setting, however, the usual silence sounded like the correlate of boundless, nearly empty space.
- Unlocking the main door, I step in, taking off my shoes, despite the eerie silence, despite the fear caused by the absence of lights in the hall.
- The acoustics of the Music Centre will be excellent, including high quality of sound in each studio, and high standards for silence and absence of intrusion.
- Quietly, but determinedly, she began to strum the low, bass notes of the guitar, its deep strain sounding in the empty silence.
- They rode in almost complete silence just enjoying the sounds of the summer night.
- You haven't heard the sound of true absolute silence since 1977, and when you did, it terrified you.
- A week in the high desert country of the Wind River Range, with time for silence and solitude, sounded just about right.
- Nor was it truly noise, because if it were noise, then it could cease, and that cessation of sound would be silence.
- Suddenly, the distant sound of sirens pierced the silence as the sound approached closer to the house.
- The only sounds breaking the silence of the night were our footsteps, along with our shallow breathing.
- Some scenes are hampered by an eerie tinny sound during moments of silence.
- There is silence, then the sound of one pair of Hands applauding.
- There was no wind rushing past his body, only eerie silence as he descended at breakneck speed.
- Her fingers found the edge of the door without her consent; the dull, hushed sounds of secretive whispers somehow pierced the airy silence.
- The most underrated element in modern cinema is the sound of silence.
- Instead, his students created tiny theatre exercises, starting with silence and gradually adding sound.
- She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was glad of the eerie silence and peacefulness.
- After a day of silence, the sounds outside descend upon the ears in a symphonic scale.
- I'D NEVER truly heard the sound of silence before - and let me tell you, it's an eerie experience.
Synonyms
quietness, quiet, quietude, still, stillness, hush, tranquillity, noiselessness, soundlessness, peace, peacefulness, peace and quiet
1. 1.1 The fact or state of abstaining from speech.
  Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence
  she was reduced to silence for a moment
  Example sentencesExamples
  We drove to my house in silence, well silence from our mouths but not from the radio.
  In several other poems, he expresses a similar ambivalence, between silence and speech, action and passivity.
  In fact, the awkward silence lasted until I took Jessie's advice and dumped Marie a block away from the party.
  Her silence after the speech was utterly different than her silence before the speech.
  The way she said it told William that she had closed any further discussion about it, so silence, once again, filled their ears.
  They rode in silence, Cora's a happy and blissful silence, Arlan's a sulky, resentful silence.
  They sat in silence for a moment, and this silence was uncomfortable.
  The member did ask to be heard in silence, so therefore there should be silence.
  They ate in silence, until Mollie, full to bursting with unanswered questions, broke the silence.
  After sitting in silence and enjoying the re - heated meal, Anthony broke the silence with a most unusual question.
  They sat in silence for a long time until Devin finally broke the silence.
  I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but our silence said so much.
  No one around you likes you so they're hoping their silence will prove that fact and you'll go away.
  In fact there was silence until the Earl of Strathmore came in with two dark-haired young men dressed in morning suits.
  They drove home in silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other and Jinx not bothering to break the silence.
  They were riding along in silence for a few moments, then Alia broke the silence.
  They continued again in silence again, but it was a comfortable, companionable silence.
  He stared at the door in silence now, then when the silence began to trouble him he hurried back to his quarters.
  They flew in silence for a long time after that, nothing but the hum of their engines disrupting the silence.
  I turned and looked at the ground where Jared lay in silence but his silence was broken every few seconds with spasms of laughter.
  Synonyms
  speechlessness, wordlessness, voicelessness, dumbness, muteness
2. 1.2 The avoidance of mentioning or discussing something.
  politicians keep their silence on the big questions
  Example sentencesExamples
  So far there's been only silence from the big three networks, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
  Although it occurred some two or three weeks ago, the local police have maintained a stony silence with respect to the theft.
  But none of this excuses the fact that Hollywood's silence is deafening.
  This silence is no big deal to her, because she knows she will phone when she feels like it and I will be there.
  The silence of politicians to this scandal is astounding.
  As Brandeis put it, ‘the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.’
  The expert has so far kept his silence, despite being under massive pressure to discuss his findings in recent weeks.
  In a rare reference teams are mentioned pejoratively for their potential contribution to a culture of silence and resistance through norms of loyalty.
  Was not the official government silence deafening on this matter of security?
  But one of the things that of course was quite haunting about all this silence was the fact that the story of his father was not really present in his life as he grew up.
  By their silence, both parties also conveyed to big business that, if elected, they would not oppose further restructuring.
  Please explain as your secrecy and silence is creating a crescendo of innuendo.
  The alternative is silence: secrecy when self-imposed, censorship when imposed by others.
  Their silence and secrecy worried Marc, and he wondered if something had happened.
  It is implied that the truth has been withheld, and that silence has prevailed where speech should have occurred.
  Kimmitt could create credibility for the investigation with patient silence until the facts emerge.
  In the presence of official silence, the facts alleged gain credibility.
  The big silence that we spoke about means that they did not really understand.
  His silence cannot hide the fact that this war represents a profound turning point in international relations.
  On that note, the silence from politicians and pundits is deafening.
  Synonyms
  secretiveness, secrecy, reticence, taciturnity, uncommunicativeness, concealment
3. 1.3 The state of standing still and not speaking as a sign of respect for someone deceased or in an opportunity for prayer.
  a moment of silence presided over by a local minister
  Example sentencesExamples
  The NFL flew flags at half-mast and held a moment of silence in memory of White.
  The House observed two-minute silence in memory of the children.
  Bolton, along with other towns and cities across the country, will observe a three-minute silence at noon tomorrow.
  A short silence in memory of the tsunami victims was observed at the start of the January meeting.
  The proceedings included a poignant silence in memory of former colleagues who had died.
  Some shops are also planning to shut down as a mark of respect, while others are considering a two-minute silence at 11.30 am.
  As we sat in the departure lounge at the airport there was a national moment of silence to honor the dead.

verbˈsaɪlənsˈsīləns

[with object]

1Cause to become silent; prohibit or prevent from speaking.
the team's performance silenced their critics
freedom of the press cannot be silenced by tanks
Example sentencesExamples
- But over the Easter period his team have come up with two smashing victories which will have gone a long way to silencing the critics.
- Many corporations are using defamation laws as a cheap and convenient way to silence their critics.
- Instead of silencing his critics, it's more likely to provide them with further ammunition.
- However, that has failed to silence critics who claim that the judge's credibility has been damaged and that he must go.
- He urgently needs a fresh mandate in order to silence his critics.
- And the best way to silence critics is by scoring consistently and never changing.
- The 4-0 performance was also one Parsley hopes will silence the critics.
- The four-minute mile was the kind of achievement that would silence critics, and prove to the athlete that he deserved to be called the best.
- To become a fluent writer, she argues, one must silence the critic early in the process.
- So will these studies be enough to silence the company's critics?
- McCann pointed to his company's track record to silence critics.
- Threatening to sue in order to silence a critic has simply spread the criticism much, much farther.
- This was not the first time that the paper tried to silence critics.
- He could silence many of his critics by playing consistently - as he did last spring.
- Essentially the government's aim is to restrict freedom of the press in order to silence any voice of criticism, no matter how faltering.
- Masters is confident that their debut album will silence critics who have accused their singles of sounding weak.
- If there were ever doubt that he can be an amazing actor, this movie will silence his critics.
- Unfortunately, I doubt whether such reassurances will silence the critics.
- This has purchased him more time, and will silence his critics.
- His answer is as refreshing as it has been, by his account, effective in silencing the critics.
Synonyms
quieten, quiet, hush, shush, still
stop, put an end to, put a stop to, cut short, suppress
1. 1.1usually as adjective silenced Fit (a gun or other loud mechanism) with a silencer.
  a silenced .22 rifle
  Example sentencesExamples
  He had just silenced the gun when he was killed instantly by a burst from a machine pistol.
  The noise signature has been reduced with engine and exhaust silencing systems.
  Synonyms
  muffle, deaden, soften, mute, smother, dampen, damp down, tone down, mask, suppress, reduce, abate

Phrases

in silence

Without speech or other sound.
we finished our meal in silence
Example sentencesExamples
- Pupils unable to sit still in a classroom for more than five minutes will work in silence on the computers.
- So I turned back to the window, and watched in silence as the drama continued to unfold.
- Shops on the route were advised to close while the throng walked in silence or softly sang for peace.
- He would think in silence, at meals or in bed or during a walk, sometimes jotting an idea down on a piece of paper.
- We drove in silence for a while, and I made a point of sighing at every red light.
- We ate in silence except for the sound of crunching of chips and slurping of drinks.
- We both sat in silence and waited for what seemed to be about an hour for him to come out.
- Rather than seek help for bullying, they choose to keep quiet and suffer in silence.
- There are many more families who are suffering in silence because of this hidden problem.
- He eased the Fokker around and they flew in silence, each busy with his own thoughts.

Origin

Middle English: from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silere ‘be silent’.

单词	silence
释义	Definition of silence in English: silence noun ˈsʌɪlənsˈsaɪləns mass noun 1Complete absence of sound. sirens pierce the silence of the night count noun an eerie silence descended over the house Example sentencesExamples The only sounds breaking the silence of the night were our footsteps, along with our shallow breathing. The acoustics of the Music Centre will be excellent, including high quality of sound in each studio, and high standards for silence and absence of intrusion. Nor was it truly noise, because if it were noise, then it could cease, and that cessation of sound would be silence. They rode in almost complete silence just enjoying the sounds of the summer night. After a day of silence, the sounds outside descend upon the ears in a symphonic scale. Her fingers found the edge of the door without her consent; the dull, hushed sounds of secretive whispers somehow pierced the airy silence. The most underrated element in modern cinema is the sound of silence. Suddenly, the distant sound of sirens pierced the silence as the sound approached closer to the house. DJs are forced to work with a limited palette, their only two tools being sound and silence. You haven't heard the sound of true absolute silence since 1977, and when you did, it terrified you. A week in the high desert country of the Wind River Range, with time for silence and solitude, sounded just about right. In this setting, however, the usual silence sounded like the correlate of boundless, nearly empty space. Instead, his students created tiny theatre exercises, starting with silence and gradually adding sound. There is silence, then the sound of one pair of Hands applauding. Some scenes are hampered by an eerie tinny sound during moments of silence. There was no wind rushing past his body, only eerie silence as he descended at breakneck speed. Unlocking the main door, I step in, taking off my shoes, despite the eerie silence, despite the fear caused by the absence of lights in the hall. I'D NEVER truly heard the sound of silence before - and let me tell you, it's an eerie experience. Quietly, but determinedly, she began to strum the low, bass notes of the guitar, its deep strain sounding in the empty silence. She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was glad of the eerie silence and peacefulness. Synonyms quietness, quiet, quietude, still, stillness, hush, tranquillity, noiselessness, soundlessness, peace, peacefulness, peace and quiet 1.1 The fact or state of abstaining from speech. Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence she was reduced to silence for a moment we finished our meal in silence Example sentencesExamples I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but our silence said so much. In fact, the awkward silence lasted until I took Jessie's advice and dumped Marie a block away from the party. He stared at the door in silence now, then when the silence began to trouble him he hurried back to his quarters. The member did ask to be heard in silence, so therefore there should be silence. In fact there was silence until the Earl of Strathmore came in with two dark-haired young men dressed in morning suits. They continued again in silence again, but it was a comfortable, companionable silence. In several other poems, he expresses a similar ambivalence, between silence and speech, action and passivity. Her silence after the speech was utterly different than her silence before the speech. No one around you likes you so they're hoping their silence will prove that fact and you'll go away. We drove to my house in silence, well silence from our mouths but not from the radio. After sitting in silence and enjoying the re - heated meal, Anthony broke the silence with a most unusual question. I turned and looked at the ground where Jared lay in silence but his silence was broken every few seconds with spasms of laughter. They ate in silence, until Mollie, full to bursting with unanswered questions, broke the silence. They drove home in silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other and Jinx not bothering to break the silence. The way she said it told William that she had closed any further discussion about it, so silence, once again, filled their ears. They were riding along in silence for a few moments, then Alia broke the silence. They sat in silence for a long time until Devin finally broke the silence. They sat in silence for a moment, and this silence was uncomfortable. They flew in silence for a long time after that, nothing but the hum of their engines disrupting the silence. They rode in silence, Cora's a happy and blissful silence, Arlan's a sulky, resentful silence. Synonyms speechlessness, wordlessness, voicelessness, dumbness, muteness taciturnity, reticence, uncommunicativeness, unresponsiveness 1.2 The avoidance of mentioning or discussing something. politicians keep their silence on the big questions Example sentencesExamples Please explain as your secrecy and silence is creating a crescendo of innuendo. The big silence that we spoke about means that they did not really understand. It is implied that the truth has been withheld, and that silence has prevailed where speech should have occurred. Although it occurred some two or three weeks ago, the local police have maintained a stony silence with respect to the theft. Kimmitt could create credibility for the investigation with patient silence until the facts emerge. By their silence, both parties also conveyed to big business that, if elected, they would not oppose further restructuring. The expert has so far kept his silence, despite being under massive pressure to discuss his findings in recent weeks. This silence is no big deal to her, because she knows she will phone when she feels like it and I will be there. Was not the official government silence deafening on this matter of security? The alternative is silence: secrecy when self-imposed, censorship when imposed by others. So far there's been only silence from the big three networks, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. On that note, the silence from politicians and pundits is deafening. Their silence and secrecy worried Marc, and he wondered if something had happened. His silence cannot hide the fact that this war represents a profound turning point in international relations. In a rare reference teams are mentioned pejoratively for their potential contribution to a culture of silence and resistance through norms of loyalty. As Brandeis put it, ‘the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.’ But none of this excuses the fact that Hollywood's silence is deafening. The silence of politicians to this scandal is astounding. In the presence of official silence, the facts alleged gain credibility. But one of the things that of course was quite haunting about all this silence was the fact that the story of his father was not really present in his life as he grew up. Synonyms secretiveness, secrecy, reticence, taciturnity, uncommunicativeness, concealment 1.3count noun A short appointed period of time during which people stand still and do not speak as a sign of respect for a dead person or group of people. the game was preceded by a two-minute silence in his memory Example sentencesExamples The proceedings included a poignant silence in memory of former colleagues who had died. Some shops are also planning to shut down as a mark of respect, while others are considering a two-minute silence at 11.30 am. As we sat in the departure lounge at the airport there was a national moment of silence to honor the dead. The House observed two-minute silence in memory of the children. A short silence in memory of the tsunami victims was observed at the start of the January meeting. Bolton, along with other towns and cities across the country, will observe a three-minute silence at noon tomorrow. The NFL flew flags at half-mast and held a moment of silence in memory of White. verb ˈsʌɪlənsˈsaɪləns [with object] 1Cause to become silent; prohibit or prevent from speaking. she was silenced by the Inspector's stern look the team's performance silenced their critics Example sentencesExamples The 4-0 performance was also one Parsley hopes will silence the critics. McCann pointed to his company's track record to silence critics. If there were ever doubt that he can be an amazing actor, this movie will silence his critics. To become a fluent writer, she argues, one must silence the critic early in the process. He could silence many of his critics by playing consistently - as he did last spring. But over the Easter period his team have come up with two smashing victories which will have gone a long way to silencing the critics. He urgently needs a fresh mandate in order to silence his critics. Essentially the government's aim is to restrict freedom of the press in order to silence any voice of criticism, no matter how faltering. Unfortunately, I doubt whether such reassurances will silence the critics. This has purchased him more time, and will silence his critics. However, that has failed to silence critics who claim that the judge's credibility has been damaged and that he must go. His answer is as refreshing as it has been, by his account, effective in silencing the critics. Many corporations are using defamation laws as a cheap and convenient way to silence their critics. So will these studies be enough to silence the company's critics? Instead of silencing his critics, it's more likely to provide them with further ammunition. The four-minute mile was the kind of achievement that would silence critics, and prove to the athlete that he deserved to be called the best. Masters is confident that their debut album will silence critics who have accused their singles of sounding weak. This was not the first time that the paper tried to silence critics. And the best way to silence critics is by scoring consistently and never changing. Threatening to sue in order to silence a critic has simply spread the criticism much, much farther. Synonyms quieten, quiet, hush, shush, still gag, muzzle, censor, stifle stop, put an end to, put a stop to, cut short, suppress 1.1usually as adjective silenced Fit (a gun or an exhaust system) with a silencer. a silenced .22 rifle Example sentencesExamples He had just silenced the gun when he was killed instantly by a burst from a machine pistol. The noise signature has been reduced with engine and exhaust silencing systems. Synonyms muffle, deaden, soften, mute, smother, dampen, damp down, tone down, mask, suppress, reduce, abate extinguish, kill Phrases silence is golden proverb It's often wise to say nothing. Example sentencesExamples It's almost like being in a library - silence is golden. As a rule, silence is golden, and generally we do not regret having held our peace. In some countries, silence is golden; in others, it makes people uncomfortable. This week's secretive populace have embraced the concept that silence is golden, so liberating information could be about as easy as extracting Excalibur from the rock. Somebody told me when I was a little girl that silence is golden. ‘David should think next time that talking is silver, silence is golden,’ the Swede said. I shrugged, Joe shrugged too and both of us had decided that silence is golden. Perhaps it would be better considered a civil sphere - a public sphere - that needs to be cultivated at a time when dissent is so easily viewed as a threat and when, to quote the spectacular movie theater slogan, silence is golden. Forty five per cent felt silence is golden aiding concentration, creatively and ultimately productivity. Yah, silence is golden but you can't stay for the rest of your life trapped in a bubble. Origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silere 'be silent'. Both silence and silent (Late Middle English) came from Latin silere, ‘to be silent’. The fuller form of silence is golden is speech is silver but silence is golden. Both are recorded from the 19th century. Originally the silent majority were the dead. In the 20th century they became those who hold moderate opinions but rarely express them. Richard Nixon brought the phrase to prominence by claiming to speak for this section of society in his 1968 presidential campaign. noun.1 phr. Definition of silence in US English: silence nounˈsaɪlənsˈsīləns 1Complete absence of sound. sirens pierce the silence of the night an eerie silence descended over the house Example sentencesExamples DJs are forced to work with a limited palette, their only two tools being sound and silence. In this setting, however, the usual silence sounded like the correlate of boundless, nearly empty space. Unlocking the main door, I step in, taking off my shoes, despite the eerie silence, despite the fear caused by the absence of lights in the hall. The acoustics of the Music Centre will be excellent, including high quality of sound in each studio, and high standards for silence and absence of intrusion. Quietly, but determinedly, she began to strum the low, bass notes of the guitar, its deep strain sounding in the empty silence. They rode in almost complete silence just enjoying the sounds of the summer night. You haven't heard the sound of true absolute silence since 1977, and when you did, it terrified you. A week in the high desert country of the Wind River Range, with time for silence and solitude, sounded just about right. Nor was it truly noise, because if it were noise, then it could cease, and that cessation of sound would be silence. Suddenly, the distant sound of sirens pierced the silence as the sound approached closer to the house. The only sounds breaking the silence of the night were our footsteps, along with our shallow breathing. Some scenes are hampered by an eerie tinny sound during moments of silence. There is silence, then the sound of one pair of Hands applauding. There was no wind rushing past his body, only eerie silence as he descended at breakneck speed. Her fingers found the edge of the door without her consent; the dull, hushed sounds of secretive whispers somehow pierced the airy silence. The most underrated element in modern cinema is the sound of silence. Instead, his students created tiny theatre exercises, starting with silence and gradually adding sound. She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was glad of the eerie silence and peacefulness. After a day of silence, the sounds outside descend upon the ears in a symphonic scale. I'D NEVER truly heard the sound of silence before - and let me tell you, it's an eerie experience. Synonyms quietness, quiet, quietude, still, stillness, hush, tranquillity, noiselessness, soundlessness, peace, peacefulness, peace and quiet 1.1 The fact or state of abstaining from speech. Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence she was reduced to silence for a moment Example sentencesExamples We drove to my house in silence, well silence from our mouths but not from the radio. In several other poems, he expresses a similar ambivalence, between silence and speech, action and passivity. In fact, the awkward silence lasted until I took Jessie's advice and dumped Marie a block away from the party. Her silence after the speech was utterly different than her silence before the speech. The way she said it told William that she had closed any further discussion about it, so silence, once again, filled their ears. They rode in silence, Cora's a happy and blissful silence, Arlan's a sulky, resentful silence. They sat in silence for a moment, and this silence was uncomfortable. The member did ask to be heard in silence, so therefore there should be silence. They ate in silence, until Mollie, full to bursting with unanswered questions, broke the silence. After sitting in silence and enjoying the re - heated meal, Anthony broke the silence with a most unusual question. They sat in silence for a long time until Devin finally broke the silence. I don't know how long we sat there in silence, but our silence said so much. No one around you likes you so they're hoping their silence will prove that fact and you'll go away. In fact there was silence until the Earl of Strathmore came in with two dark-haired young men dressed in morning suits. They drove home in silence, neither really knowing what to say to the other and Jinx not bothering to break the silence. They were riding along in silence for a few moments, then Alia broke the silence. They continued again in silence again, but it was a comfortable, companionable silence. He stared at the door in silence now, then when the silence began to trouble him he hurried back to his quarters. They flew in silence for a long time after that, nothing but the hum of their engines disrupting the silence. I turned and looked at the ground where Jared lay in silence but his silence was broken every few seconds with spasms of laughter. Synonyms speechlessness, wordlessness, voicelessness, dumbness, muteness 1.2 The avoidance of mentioning or discussing something. politicians keep their silence on the big questions Example sentencesExamples So far there's been only silence from the big three networks, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. Although it occurred some two or three weeks ago, the local police have maintained a stony silence with respect to the theft. But none of this excuses the fact that Hollywood's silence is deafening. This silence is no big deal to her, because she knows she will phone when she feels like it and I will be there. The silence of politicians to this scandal is astounding. As Brandeis put it, ‘the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.’ The expert has so far kept his silence, despite being under massive pressure to discuss his findings in recent weeks. In a rare reference teams are mentioned pejoratively for their potential contribution to a culture of silence and resistance through norms of loyalty. Was not the official government silence deafening on this matter of security? But one of the things that of course was quite haunting about all this silence was the fact that the story of his father was not really present in his life as he grew up. By their silence, both parties also conveyed to big business that, if elected, they would not oppose further restructuring. Please explain as your secrecy and silence is creating a crescendo of innuendo. The alternative is silence: secrecy when self-imposed, censorship when imposed by others. Their silence and secrecy worried Marc, and he wondered if something had happened. It is implied that the truth has been withheld, and that silence has prevailed where speech should have occurred. Kimmitt could create credibility for the investigation with patient silence until the facts emerge. In the presence of official silence, the facts alleged gain credibility. The big silence that we spoke about means that they did not really understand. His silence cannot hide the fact that this war represents a profound turning point in international relations. On that note, the silence from politicians and pundits is deafening. Synonyms secretiveness, secrecy, reticence, taciturnity, uncommunicativeness, concealment 1.3 The state of standing still and not speaking as a sign of respect for someone deceased or in an opportunity for prayer. a moment of silence presided over by a local minister Example sentencesExamples The NFL flew flags at half-mast and held a moment of silence in memory of White. The House observed two-minute silence in memory of the children. Bolton, along with other towns and cities across the country, will observe a three-minute silence at noon tomorrow. A short silence in memory of the tsunami victims was observed at the start of the January meeting. The proceedings included a poignant silence in memory of former colleagues who had died. Some shops are also planning to shut down as a mark of respect, while others are considering a two-minute silence at 11.30 am. As we sat in the departure lounge at the airport there was a national moment of silence to honor the dead. verbˈsaɪlənsˈsīləns [with object] 1Cause to become silent; prohibit or prevent from speaking. the team's performance silenced their critics freedom of the press cannot be silenced by tanks Example sentencesExamples But over the Easter period his team have come up with two smashing victories which will have gone a long way to silencing the critics. Many corporations are using defamation laws as a cheap and convenient way to silence their critics. Instead of silencing his critics, it's more likely to provide them with further ammunition. However, that has failed to silence critics who claim that the judge's credibility has been damaged and that he must go. He urgently needs a fresh mandate in order to silence his critics. And the best way to silence critics is by scoring consistently and never changing. The 4-0 performance was also one Parsley hopes will silence the critics. The four-minute mile was the kind of achievement that would silence critics, and prove to the athlete that he deserved to be called the best. To become a fluent writer, she argues, one must silence the critic early in the process. So will these studies be enough to silence the company's critics? McCann pointed to his company's track record to silence critics. Threatening to sue in order to silence a critic has simply spread the criticism much, much farther. This was not the first time that the paper tried to silence critics. He could silence many of his critics by playing consistently - as he did last spring. Essentially the government's aim is to restrict freedom of the press in order to silence any voice of criticism, no matter how faltering. Masters is confident that their debut album will silence critics who have accused their singles of sounding weak. If there were ever doubt that he can be an amazing actor, this movie will silence his critics. Unfortunately, I doubt whether such reassurances will silence the critics. This has purchased him more time, and will silence his critics. His answer is as refreshing as it has been, by his account, effective in silencing the critics. Synonyms quieten, quiet, hush, shush, still stop, put an end to, put a stop to, cut short, suppress 1.1usually as adjective silenced Fit (a gun or other loud mechanism) with a silencer. a silenced .22 rifle Example sentencesExamples He had just silenced the gun when he was killed instantly by a burst from a machine pistol. The noise signature has been reduced with engine and exhaust silencing systems. Synonyms muffle, deaden, soften, mute, smother, dampen, damp down, tone down, mask, suppress, reduce, abate Phrases in silence Without speech or other sound. we finished our meal in silence Example sentencesExamples Pupils unable to sit still in a classroom for more than five minutes will work in silence on the computers. So I turned back to the window, and watched in silence as the drama continued to unfold. Shops on the route were advised to close while the throng walked in silence or softly sang for peace. He would think in silence, at meals or in bed or during a walk, sometimes jotting an idea down on a piece of paper. We drove in silence for a while, and I made a point of sighing at every red light. We ate in silence except for the sound of crunching of chips and slurping of drinks. We both sat in silence and waited for what seemed to be about an hour for him to come out. Rather than seek help for bullying, they choose to keep quiet and suffer in silence. There are many more families who are suffering in silence because of this hidden problem. He eased the Fokker around and they flew in silence, each busy with his own thoughts. Origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silere ‘be silent’. noun.1 phr.
随便看	one way and another (or one way or another) one way and another (or one way or another) one way or another one way or the other one way or the other (or one way and another) one way or the other (or one way and another) onewhile one-woman one-woman show one-world one-worlder one-worlder one-worldism one-worldism on exhibition one-year-old on faith onfall on-farm on faste on feet on-field on file on file on fire