/ ˈsaɪlənt; NAmE / adjective
1.
( of a person ) not speaking :
to remain / stay / keep silent
They huddled together in silent groups.
As the curtain rose, the audience fell silent .
He gave me the silent treatment (= did not speak to me because he was angry) .
2.
[ only before noun ] ( especially of a man ) not talking very much
SYN quiet :
He's the strong silent type.
3.
where there is little or no sound; making little or no sound
SYN quiet :
At last the traffic fell silent .
The streets were silent and deserted.
4.
[ only before noun ] not expressed with words or sound :
a silent prayer / protest
They nodded in silent agreement .
5.
silent (on / about sth) not giving information about sth; refusing to speak about sth :
The report is strangely silent on this issue.
the right to remain silent (= the legal right not to say anything when you are arrested)
6.
[ only before noun ] ( of old films / movies ) with pictures but no sound :
a silent film / movie
stars of the silent screen
7.
( of a letter in a word ) written but not pronounced :
The 'b' in 'lamb' is silent.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (in the sense not speaking ): from Latin silent- being silent, from the verb silere .