- (n.) Forbearance from or absence of, speech; taciturnity; muteness.
- (n.) Secrecy; as, these things were transacted in silence.
- (n.) The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness.
- (v.t.) To cause to cease firing, as by a vigorous cannonade; as, to silence the batteries of an enemy.
- (interj.) Be silent; -- used elliptically for let there be silence or keep silence.
- (n.) Absence of mention; oblivion.
- (n.) The cessation of rage, agitation or tumilt; calmness; quiest; as, the elements were reduced to silence.
- (v.t.) 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.
- (v.t.) To put to rest; to quiet.
- (v.t.) To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). silence. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/silence/definitions/2062002 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "silence" http://smartdefine.org/silence/definitions/2062002 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, silence, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/silence/definitions/2062002>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "silence" 28 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/silence/definitions/2062002> |