silence

si·lence (sī′ləns)

noun

the state or fact of keeping silent; a refraining from speech or from making noise
absence of any sound or noise; stillness
a withholding of knowledge or omission of mention to note an author's silence on a point
failure to communicate, write, keep in touch, etc.
oblivion or obscurity

Etymology: OFr < L silentium < silens: see silent

transitive verb -·lenced, -·lenc·ing

be silent

Absence of sound
quietness, stillness, hush, utter stillness, the stillness of death, absolute quiet, calm, noiselessness, soundlessness, quiet, deep stillness, stillness of eternal night, loss of signal, cessation of all sound, quietude, hush of early dawn, radio silence, security silence, security blackout, censorship, iron curtain.
Antonyms noise*, din*, uproar. *
Absence of speech
muteness, secrecy, taciturnity, reserve, reticence, inarticulateness, golden silence, respectful silence, sullen silence.
Antonyms talkativeness, glibness, loquacity.

Object

doubter: However, despite a low electorate turn-out, his landslide victory appears to have silenced the doubters for now.
dissent: It is also alleged that the administration is silencing dissent among its own analysts who have raised questions.
pistol: This way you will not have to shoot someone four times to kill him with a weak silenced pistol.
critic: He promises to furnish answers and arguments needed to silence critics.
alarm: Also operates ' Hush ' feature to silence nuisance alarms.

Converse of object

deafen: Later when I replied giving more detail about my position, there was a long and deafening silence from you.
hush: In the hushed silence I did not look down, not even once.
observe: People in Tower Hamlets also observed two minutes silence on November 11 in memory of the war heroes.
break: I broke the silence with a very soft question.
ensue: The ensuing silence was even harder to endure than the revelations had been.
brood: And then there was a terrible brooding silence which followed.

Adjective modifier

stunned: Once he had finished, there was a stunned silence for several seconds.
eerie: There was an eerie silence for a few minutes.
stony: Elizabeth broke the stony silence which had descended on the room.
awkward: Things hung for a moment in an awkward silence.
embarrassed: After the contract was signed and it was time for Just Sunshine to deliver, there was an embarrassed silence.
shocked: After a few seconds of shocked silence Matt carefully replaced his arm about the other man and allowed the snuggle.

Modifies a noun

reign: Afterward all retire to sleep, and absolute silence reigns.

Noun used with modifier

minute: People in Tower Hamlets also observed two minutes silence on November 11 in memory of the war heroes.

Possessives

minute: He called for a minute's silence in their honor.

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