'Silence' definitions:
Definition of 'silence'
From: WordNet
noun
The state of being silent (as when no one is speaking); "there was a shocked silence"; "he gestured for silence"
noun
The absence of sound; "he needed silence in order to sleep"; "the street was quiet" [syn: silence, quiet] [ant: sound]
noun
A refusal to speak when expected; "his silence about my contribution was surprising" [syn: muteness, silence]
noun
The trait of keeping things secret [syn: secrecy, secretiveness, silence]
verb
Cause to be quiet or not talk; "Please silence the children in the church!" [syn: hush, quieten, silence, still, shut up, hush up] [ant: louden]
verb
Keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure; "All dissenters were silenced when the dictator assumed power"
Definition of 'Silence'
From: GCIDE
- Silence \Si"lence\, n. [F., fr. L. silentium. See Silent.] [1913 Webster]
- 1. The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness. [1913 Webster]
- I saw and heared; for such a numerous host Fled not in silence through the frighted deep. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Forbearance from, or absence of, speech; taciturnity; muteness. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Secrecy; as, these things were transacted in silence. [1913 Webster]
- The administration itself keeps a profound silence. --D. Webster. [1913 Webster]
- 4. The cessation of rage, agitation, or tumilt; calmness; quiest; as, the elements were reduced to silence. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Absence of mention; oblivion. [1913 Webster]
- And what most merits fame, in silence hid. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Silence'
From: GCIDE
- Silence \Si"lence\, interj. Be silent; -- used elliptically for let there be silence, or keep silence. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Silence'
From: GCIDE
- Silence \Si"lence\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Silenced; p. pr. & vb. n. Silencing.]
- 1. To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush. [1913 Webster]
- Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the isle. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To put to rest; to quiet. [1913 Webster]
- This would silence all further opposition. --Clarendon. [1913 Webster]
- These would have silenced their scruples. --Rogers. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To restrain from the exercise of any function, privilege of instruction, or the like, especially from the act of preaching; as, to silence a minister of the gospel. [1913 Webster]
- The Rev. Thomas Hooker of Chelmsford, in Essex, was silenced for nonconformity. --B. Trumbull. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To cause to cease firing, as by a vigorous cannonade; as, to silence the batteries of an enemy. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'silence'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- answer,
- answer conclusively,
- argue down,
- asphyxiate,
- ataraxia,
- ataraxy,
- blow to pieces,
- blow up,
- blunt,
- bottle up,
- brain,
- brevity,
- briefness,
- bring down,
- brusqueness,
- burn to death,
- calm,
- calmness,
- censor,
- choke,
- choke off,
- clamp down on,
- composure,
- conciseness,
- confound,
- confute,
- contemplation,
- contradict,
- controvert,
- cork,
- cork up,
- crack down on,
- crush,
- curtains,
- curtness,
- cut down,
- cut to pieces,
- damp,
- damp down,
- dampen,
- deaden,
- deal a deathblow,
- decease,
- deck,
- defeat,
- deflate,
- demise,
- demolish,
- deny,
- disarm,
- disintegrate,
- dismiss,
- dispose of,
- dissolution,
- drop,
- drown,
- dumb,
- dumbfound,
- dumbness,
- economy of words,
- emasculate,
- enchain,
- extinguish,
- fell,
- finish,
- floor,
- frag,
- gag,
- give the quietus,
- gun down,
- hamstring,
- handcuff,
- hobble,
- hog-tie,
- hold down,
- hugger-mugger,
- hugger-muggery,
- hush,
- hush-hush,
- imperturbability,
- incinerate,
- inhibit,
- jugulate,
- jump on,
- keep down,
- keep under,
- kill,
- knock out,
- laconicalness,
- laconism,
- lapidate,
- lay low,
- lucid stillness,
- lull,
- manacle,
- marmoreal repose,
- mitigate,
- mollify,
- muffle,
- mute,
- muteness,
- muzzle,
- nirvana,
- noiselessness,
- nonplus,
- obmutescence,
- overcome,
- overmaster,
- overmatch,
- overpower,
- overset,
- overthrow,
- overturn,
- overwhelm,
- pacify,
- paralyze,
- parry,
- passing,
- pauciloquy,
- peace,
- peacefulness,
- pistol,
- placidity,
- placidness,
- poleax,
- pour water on,
- propitiate,
- prostrate,
- put down,
- put out,
- put to silence,
- quash,
- quell,
- quench,
- quiescence,
- quiescency,
- quiet,
- quieten,
- quietism,
- quietness,
- quietude,
- quietus,
- rebut,
- reduce to silence,
- refute,
- repose,
- repress,
- rest,
- restfulness,
- restrain,
- reticence,
- riddle,
- satori,
- secretiveness,
- secretness,
- send flying,
- serenity,
- settle,
- shoot,
- shoot down,
- shoot to death,
- shortness,
- shotgun,
- shush,
- shut down on,
- shut off,
- shut up,
- silken repose,
- sit down on,
- sit on,
- sleep,
- slumber,
- smash,
- smash all opposition,
- smother,
- snuff out,
- soft-pedal,
- soothe,
- soundlessness,
- sparingness of words,
- speechlessness,
- squash,
- squelch,
- stab to death,
- stamp out,
- stanch,
- stifle,
- still,
- stillness,
- stone,
- stone to death,
- strangle,
- strike dead,
- strike dumb,
- stultify,
- subdue,
- subvert,
- suffocate,
- suppress,
- surmount,
- taciturnity,
- temper,
- terseness,
- throttle,
- trample out,
- trample underfoot,
- tranquillity,
- trip,
- trip up,
- truss up,
- uncommunicativeness,
- undermine,
- unloquaciousness,
- untalkativeness,
- upset,
- vaporize,
- wise passiveness,
- wordlessness