silence

silence
si|lence1 W2 [ˈsaıləns] n
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
1¦(no noise)¦
2¦(no talking)¦
3¦(no discussion/answer)¦
4¦(no communication)¦
5 one-minute/two-minute etc silence
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
1.) ¦(NO NOISE)¦[U]
complete absence of sound or noise
= ↑quiet silence of
▪ Nothing disturbed the silence of the night.
silence falls/descends (on/upon sth)
▪ After the explosion, an eerie silence fell upon the scene.
break/shatter the silence
▪ A loud scream shattered the silence.
2.) ¦(NO TALKING)¦ [U and C]
complete quiet because nobody is talking
▪ There was a brief silence before anyone answered.
in silence
▪ The four men sat in silence.
complete/total/dead silence
▪ 'How long have you been here?' I asked. There was complete silence.
▪ 'Silence in court!' roared the judge.
embarrassed/awkward/stunned etc silence
▪ There was an awkward silence between them.
▪ The accused exercised his right to silence (=the legal right to choose to say nothing) .
3.) ¦(NO DISCUSSION/ANSWER)¦[U]
failure or refusal to discuss something or answer questions about something
silence on
▪ The government's silence on such an important issue seems very strange.
▪ Once again the answer was a deafening silence (=a very noticeable refusal to discuss something) .
4.) ¦(NO COMMUNICATION)¦[U]
failure to write a letter to someone, telephone them etc
▪ After two years of silence he suddenly got in touch with us again.
5.) one-minute/two-minute etc silence
a period of time in which everyone stops talking as a sign of honour and respect towards someone who has died
silence 2
silence2 v [T]
1.) to make someone stop talking, or stop something making a noise
▪ She held up her hand to silence the children.
2.) to make someone stop expressing opposition or criticisms - used especially in news reports
▪ attempts to silence the rumours
▪ Barnes has failed to silence his critics.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • SILENCE — Il semble impossible de parler de ce qui est absence ou abolition de toute parole. Le silence se présente comme le point zéro à partir duquel s’inaugure tout langage, sans qu’on y puisse faire retour. Pour reprendre une terminologie empruntée à… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Silence — is a relative or total lack of audible sound you can not hear a thing it is quiet. Silence in Social Interaction: Functions, Meanings, and Interpretations Silence in social interaction is the absence of speech. Silence in this arena can be… …   Wikipedia

  • silence — SILENCE. s. m. Privation, cessation de bruit. Grand silence. profond silence. le silence de la nuit. le silence des bois. faites silence. faites faire silence. troubler le silence. Il se dit proprement de l homme lorsqu il s abstient de parler.… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Silence — • All writers on the spiritual life uniformly recommend, nay, command under penalty of total failure, the practice of silence Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Silence     Silence …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Silence — Студийный альбом …   Википедия

  • silence — Silence, Silentium. Fort grand silence, Silentium acre et intentum. Il y eut quelque temps silence, Silentium aliquandiu tenuit. Faire silence, Attacere, Silentium dare, Conticere, Fauere linguis, Ore fauere. Se taire et faire silence par commun… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Silence — Si lence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Silenced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Silencing}.] 1. To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush. [1913 Webster] Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the isle. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To put to rest; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Silence — Si lence, n. [F., fr. L. silentium. See {Silent}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness. [1913 Webster] I saw and heared; for such a numerous host Fled not in silence through the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Silence — Álbum de Sonata Arctica Publicación 4 de septiembre de 2001 Grabación Otoño, 2000 Primavera, 2001 Género(s) Pow …   Wikipedia Español

  • silence — si·lence n 1: the state of keeping or being silent; esp: forbearance from speech or comment 2: failure to make something known esp. in violation of a duty to do so acceptance by silence see also estoppel by silence at estoppel …   Law dictionary

  • Silence 4 — es una banda portuguesa formada en 1996, cuyas canciones son mayoritariamente en inglés. (Salvo los temas Sextos Sentidos y Eu nao sei dizer incluidos en su álbum debut Silence Becomes I ). Realizaron dos álbumes con buena recepción por los… …   Wikipedia Español

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