silence
B1Formal and Informal
Definition
Meaning
The complete absence of sound or noise.
A state or condition marked by the absence of sound, communication, or mention; a period of time when one does not speak or communicate.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Silence" can denote a physical lack of sound, a personal choice not to speak, or an imposed condition. It often carries emotional weight (e.g., awkward, peaceful, tense).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. The verb 'to silence' (to make silent) is equally common.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties: can imply peace, awkwardness, secrecy, or power.
Frequency
Similar high frequency in both corpora.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
V (break/shatter) + the + N (silence)ADJ (awkward/long) + N (silence)N (silence) + V (fell/fell over)PREP (in/into) + N (silence)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Silence is golden.”
- “A conspiracy of silence.”
- “Reduce someone to silence.”
- “The sound of silence.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Management's silence on the merger rumours is concerning the staff."
Academic
"The study examines the political implications of enforced silence in historical narratives."
Everyday
"We sat in comfortable silence watching the sunset."
Technical
"The audio software has a 'silence detection' feature to remove pauses."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The judge attempted to silence the rowdy spectators in the public gallery.
- New evidence has silenced many of the government's critics.
American English
- The teacher silenced the classroom with a single sharp look.
- A new law could silence opposition groups.
adverb
British English
- (Note: 'silently' is the standard adverb. 'Silence' is not used as an adverb.)
American English
- (Note: 'silently' is the standard adverb. 'Silence' is not used as an adverb.)
adjective
British English
- He handed her a silence consent form to sign.
- (Note: 'silence' as a noun adjunct is more common, e.g., 'silence clause').
American English
- The library's silent study area is very popular.
- (Note: 'silent' is the standard adjective).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children played in silence.
- Please listen in silence.
- There was an awkward silence after he asked the difficult question.
- The silence in the forest was beautiful.
- Her testimony was met with a stunned silence in the courtroom.
- He broke his long silence on the matter with a detailed statement.
- The government's official silence on the humanitarian crisis was widely condemned.
- The treaty imposed a diplomatic silence on the contentious border issue.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SILENCE' as 'SIT-LENS': You sit quietly and look through a lens, observing without making a sound.
Conceptual Metaphor
SILENCE IS A SUBSTANCE (e.g., 'a blanket of silence', 'heavy silence', 'break the silence'). SILENCE IS A CONTAINER (e.g., 'in silence', 'fall into silence').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'тишина' for metaphorical 'silence' when it means a refusal to speak or comment (use 'молчание').
- The verb 'to silence' (заставить замолчать) is not the same as 'to be silent' (молчать).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'silence' as a verb without an object (Incorrect: 'He silenced.' Correct: 'He silenced the crowd.').
- Confusing 'silence' (noun) with 'quiet' (more often an adjective).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'Silence is golden', what is the primary implication?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Silence' is a noun meaning total absence of sound. 'Quiet' is primarily an adjective meaning making little or no noise, but can also be a noun (e.g., 'the quiet of the night'), where it is often interchangeable with 'silence' but implies a low level of sound rather than total absence.
Yes. 'To silence' someone or something means to cause them to become silent or to stop them from speaking, expressing opinions, or making noise. It usually takes a direct object.
Yes, it is used identically to denote a short period where people are silent, typically as a mark of respect (e.g., for the dead).
It means to end a period of silence by speaking or making a sound. It can be literal ('He broke the silence with a cough') or metaphorical, meaning to finally speak about something that was not being discussed ('The report breaks the silence on corporate corruption').