noun
silence
SEYE-luhns
noun
1
Complete absence of sound.
"The silence of the library was broken by a ringing phone."
2
The state of not speaking.
"She kept her silence during the argument."
verb
1
To make someone or something silent, often by force or suppression.
"The government tried to silence its critics."
"He raised a hand to silence the room."
How to Use Silence
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe absence of sound or speech, or the act of stopping someone from making noise or speaking out.
Common pairings
awkward silence
silence critics
moment of silence
break the silence
Word Forms
silenced past tense, silences plural, silences singular
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Etymology
From Old French silence, from Latin silentium, from silere ("to be silent").