I. ˈsilt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English cylte, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Danish & Norwegian sylt salt marsh, Swedish dialect sylta; akin to Old High German sulza salt marsh, Old English sealt salt — more at salt
1.
a. : unconsolidated or loose sedimentary material whose constituent rock particles are finer than grains of sand and larger than clay particles ; specifically : material consisting of mineral soil particles ranging in diameter from 0.02 to 0.002 millimeters
b. : sedimentary material consisting especially of mineral particles intermediate in size between those of sand and clay suspended in running or standing water
c. : a deposit of sediment (as by a river)
d. : a material that is similar to silt in particle size and consistency : fines
coal silt
2. : scum , dregs, residue
chocolate … covered with tobacco grains from the silt of his pockets — Norman Mailer
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1. : to become choked or obstructed with silt — often used with up
the channel silted up
2. : to flow as silt : percolate , drift
sand silted over wheat fields — Lamp
transitive verb
: to choke, fill, cover, or obstruct with silt or mud
the beaver had silted the creek — Hugh Fosburgh
— often used with up
its harbor is now entirely silted up — L.R.Colcord