Meaning & Definition of word "Silence"

Silence

/ˈsaɪləns/

1. The absence of sound; complete quiet.
- Example: There was a profound silence in the room after the announcement.
2. The state of being silent or quiet.
- Example: He preferred the silence of the countryside to the noise of the city.
3. Deliberate refusal to speak or communicate.
- Example: Her silence during the meeting was notable and raised eyebrows.

1. To cause to become silent; to hush.
- Example: The teacher raised her hand to silence the noisy classroom.
2. To suppress or put an end to (a sound or noise).
- Example: The manager tried to silence the critics with a confident presentation.

Middle English 'silence', from Old French, from Latin 'silentium', from 'silens', present participle of 'silere' meaning 'to be quiet'.

silence is golden:

A phrase suggesting that saying nothing can be preferable to speaking.

silence speaks volumes:

Indicates that a lack of communication can convey powerful messages.

give someone the silent treatment:

To deliberately ignore someone by not speaking to them.

break the silence:

To start speaking again after a period of quiet.

silence your phone:

To turn off or mute notifications on a mobile device.

quiet:

The state of making little or no noise.

calm:

A state of tranquility or peace.

muteness:

The quality of being mute; unable to speak.

hush:

A command or request for silence.

stillness:

The absence of movement or sound.

Meaning: Crickets

Example Sentence: When I asked him about his plans and he just stared at me, all I could hear was crickets.

Meaning: Dead air

Example Sentence: There was dead air on the radio after the DJ forgot to cue the next song.