Silence Definition

sīləns
silenced, silences, silencing
noun
silences
The state or fact of keeping silent; a refraining from speech or from making noise.
Webster's New World
Absence of any sound or noise; stillness.
Webster's New World
A period of time without speech or noise.
American Heritage
A withholding of knowledge or omission of mention.
To note an author's silence on a point.
Webster's New World
Refusal or failure to speak out.
American Heritage
verb
silenced, silences, silencing
To cause to be silent; still; quiet.
Webster's New World
To put down; repress.
Webster's New World
To curtail the expression of; suppress.
Silencing all criticism; silenced their opponents.
American Heritage
To put (enemy guns) out of action.
Webster's New World
To interfere with the expression of (a gene or gene segment) so that its biological function is suppressed.
American Heritage
Antonyms:
interjection
Be silent.
Webster's New World

A common imperative instructing the addressed to remain silent.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Silence

Noun

Singular:
silence
Plural:
silences

Origin of Silence

  • Middle English from Old French from Latin silentium from silēns silent- present participle of silēre to be silent

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French silence.

    From Wiktionary

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