I. noun
1.
absence of sound or noise
the heavy silence of the night
Synonyms: noiselessness, quiet, quietness, quietude, soundlessness, still, stillness
Related Word: calm, hush, lull
Contrasted words: din, uproar
Antonyms: noise
2.
Synonyms: secrecy , hugger-mugger, hugger-muggery, hush, hush-hush, secretiveness, secretness
3.
Synonyms: death 1, curtains, decease, defunction, demise, dissolution, (the) Pale Horse, passing, quietus, sleep
II. verb
to compel or reduce to silence
silenced the courtroom chatter by pounding her gavel
Synonyms: choke (off), hush, quiet, ||quieten, shush, shut up, still
Related Word: dampen, deaden, dumb, lull, muffle, mute; quash, quell, squash, squelch, suppress; gag, muzzle