/ ˈsaɪləns; NAmE / noun , verb , exclamation
■ noun
1.
[ U ] a complete lack of noise or sound
SYN quiet :
Their footsteps echoed in the silence.
A scream broke the silence of the night.
I need absolute silence when I'm working.
2.
[ C , U ] a situation when nobody is speaking :
an embarrassed / awkward silence
a moment's stunned silence
I got used to his long silences.
They finished their meal in total silence .
She lapsed into silence again.
There was a deafening silence (= one that is very noticeable) .
a two-minute silence in honour of those who had died
3.
[ U , sing. ] silence (on sth) a situation in which sb refuses to talk about sth or to answer questions :
She broke her public silence in a TV interview.
The company's silence on the subject has been taken as an admission of guilt.
the right to silence (= the legal right not to say anything when you are arrested)
There is a conspiracy of silence about what is happening (= everyone has agreed not to discuss it) .
4.
[ U ] a situation in which people do not communicate with each other by letter or telephone :
The phone call came after months of silence.
•
IDIOMS
- silence is golden
—more at pregnant
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to make sb/sth stop speaking or making a noise :
She silenced him with a glare.
Our bombs silenced the enemy's guns (= they destroyed them) .
2.
to make sb stop expressing opinions that are opposed to yours :
All protest had been silenced.
Her recent achievements have silenced her critics.
•
IDIOMS
see heavy adjective
■ exclamation
( formal ) used to tell people to be quiet :
Silence in court!
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French , from Latin silentium , from silere be silent.