silence

noun

1. 寂静；无声
   a complete lack of noise or sound
   1. Their footsteps echoed in the silence.
      他们的脚步声在一片寂静中回荡着。
   2. A scream broke the silence of the night.
      一声尖叫划破了寂静的夜晚。
   3. I need absolute silence when I'm working.
      我工作时需要绝对的安静。
2. 沉默；缄默；默不作声
   a situation when nobody is speaking
   1. an embarrassed/awkward silence
      难堪 / 尴尬的沉默
   2. a moment's stunned silence
      一时惊愕得说不出话来
   3. I got used to his long silences.
      我已习惯了他半天不说话的样子。
   4. They finished their meal in total silence .
      他们默不作声地吃完饭。
   5. She lapsed into silence again.
      她又沉默下来。
   6. There was a deafening silence (= one that is very noticeable) .
      四下里静得刺耳。
   7. a two-minute silence in honour of those who had died
      为死去的人默哀两分钟
3. 缄默；缄口不谈；拒绝回答
   a situation in which sb refuses to talk about sth or to answer questions
   1. She broke her public silence in a TV interview.
      她接受了一次电视采访，就此结束了她不在公开场合说话的状态。
   2. The company's silence on the subject has been taken as an admission of guilt.
      在外界看来，公司在这个问题上保持沉默便是承认有罪。
   3. the right to silence (= the legal right not to say anything when you are arrested)
      沉默权
   4. There is a conspiracy of silence about what is happening (= everyone has agreed not to discuss it) .
      对于发生的事情，大家一致保持缄默。
4. 互相不通音信的情形；无书信（或电话）联系
   a situation in which people do not communicate with each other by letter or telephone
   1. The phone call came after months of silence.
      几个月没有音信之后，打来了一个电话。

verb

1. 使安静；使不说话
   to make sb/sth stop speaking or making a noise
   1. She silenced him with a glare.
      她瞪了他一眼，他就不作声了。
   2. Our bombs silenced the enemy's guns (= they destroyed them) .
      我们的轰炸把敌人的炮火打哑了。
2. 压制，使不再发表（反对意见）
   to make sb stop expressing opinions that are opposed to yours
   1. All protest had been silenced.
      一切反对的声音都被压了下去。
   2. Her recent achievements have silenced her critics.
      她近来取得的成果让那些批评她的人无话可说了。

exclamation

1. （用以让人们安静）安静，静下来
   used to tell people to be quiet
   1. Silence in court!
      在法庭内要保持肃静！

1. N-VAR 沉默;缄默;不作声
   If there is silence, nobody is speaking.
   1. They stood in silence...
      他们默不作声地站着。
   2. He never lets those long silences develop during dinner...
      他从不会让晚餐时出现长时间的沉默。
   3. Then he bellowed 'Silence!'
      然后他怒吼一声：“安静!”
2. N-UNCOUNT 寂静;无声
   The silence of a place is the extreme quietness there.
   1. ...the silence of that rainless, all-concealing fog...
      滴雨未下、隐藏一切的大雾静默无声
   2. She breathed deeply, savouring the silence.
      她深深地吸了口气，细细品味着这宁静。
3. N-UNCOUNT 缄默;绝口不提;闭口不谈
   Someone's silence about something is their failure or refusal to speak to other people about it.
   1. The district court ruled that Popper's silence in court today should be entered as a plea of not guilty.
      区法院裁定今天波珀在法庭上的缄默将被视作是进行无罪抗辩。
4. VERB 使安静;使无声;使不说话
   To silence someone or something means to stop them speaking or making a noise.
   1. A ringing phone silenced her...
      响起的电话铃声让她安静了下来。
   2. The shock silenced him completely.
      他惊得哑口无言。
5. VERB 制止，使不再发表(反对意见)
   If someone silences you, they stop you expressing opinions that they do not agree with.
   1. Like other tyrants, he tried to silence anyone who spoke out against him.
      像其他暴君一样，他力图压制任何公开反对他的人。
   2. ...an unsuccessful attempt by the government to silence the debate.
      政府试图压制争论但未果
6. VERB 杀…灭口
   To silence someone means to kill them in order to stop them revealing something secret.
   1. A hit man had been sent to silence her over the affair.
      为了掩盖这件事，已经派出一名职业杀手去杀她灭口。

1. The crowd listened in awed silence.
   充满敬畏的人群安静地聆听。
2. The silence from Alex had hurt and bewildered her.
   亚历克斯的沉默伤害了她，让她不知所措。
3. The unearthly silence was broken by a shrill screaming.
   一声尖叫打破了这可怕的沉寂。
4. The same heavy, brooding silence descended on them.
   他们也感觉到了同样沉重压抑的寂静。
5. They interrupted the customary one minute's silence with jeers and shouts.
   他们讥讽着，喊叫着，打破了惯常的那一分钟沉默。
6. The sound died away and silence reigned.
   那个声音渐渐消失，四周又恢复了寂静。
7. There was mostly silence. I have never known such economy with words.
   大部分时候都是沉默，我还从未见过如此惜字如金的情形。
8. We walked in silence up a flight of stairs and down a long corridor.
   我们默默地走上一段楼梯，穿过一个长长的走廊。
9. The congress opened with a minute's silence in memory of those who died in the struggle.
   代表大会开幕时进行了一分钟的默哀，以怀念在斗争中牺牲的人。
10. There was an ominous silence at the other end of the phone
    电话那头出现了不祥的沉默。
11. They walked on in silence for a while
    他们继续默默无语地走了一会儿。
12. They seem to think her crimes should be passed over in silence.
    他们似乎认为应该对她的罪行保持沉默。
13. There was a long, pregnant silence.
    当时出现了长时间耐人寻味的沉默。
14. He turned away in sullen, resentful silence.
    他闷闷不乐、心怀怨恨、一言不发地转过身去了。
15. He would not let neighbours shame him into silence
    邻居们试图想让他自感羞愧而从此闭口，他是不会乖乖就范的。
16. There was a long silence, and my father looked shamefaced.
    沉默持续了很长时间，而我父亲看上去面带愧色。
17. They stood in silence
    他们默不作声地站着。
18. He never lets those long silences develop during dinner
    他从不会让晚餐时出现长时间的沉默。
19. Then he bellowed 'Silence!'
    然后他怒吼一声：“安静！”
20. She breathed deeply, savouring the silence.
    她深深地吸了口气，细细品味着这宁静。
21. The district court ruled that Popper's silence in court today should be entered as a plea of not guilty.
    区法院裁定今天波珀在法庭上的缄默将被视作是进行无罪抗辩。
22. A ringing phone silenced her
    响起的电话铃声让她安静了下来。
23. The shock silenced him completely.
    他惊得哑口无言。
24. Like other tyrants, he tried to silence anyone who spoke out against him.
    像其他暴君一样，他力图压制任何公开反对他的人。
25. A hit man had been sent to silence her over the affair.
    为了掩盖这件事，已经派出一名职业杀手去杀她灭口。
26. They jogged in silence a while, faces lowered, out of step
    他们低着头，一言不发地慢跑了一会儿，步伐也不一致。
27. The offenders lapsed into a sullen silence
    那些冒犯者都闷不作声了。
28. Rosanna and Forbes walked in silence for some while
    罗莎娜和福布斯默不作声地走了一会儿。
29. After a moment's silence he went on speaking.
    他沉默了一会又继续说下去。
30. We should not pass over this disgraceful affair in silence.
    我们不应对这件可耻的事保持缄默。

n.

silence is golden

• 沉默是金
  it is often best not to say anything

a heavy silence/atmosphere

• 令人尴尬（或不安）的沉默（或气氛）
  a situation when people do not say anything, but feel embarrassed or uncomfortable

v.

a heavy silence/atmosphere

• 令人尴尬（或不安）的沉默（或气氛）
  a situation when people do not say anything, but feel embarrassed or uncomfortable

noun

1. a refusal to speak when expected
   1. his silence about my contribution was surprising

   Synonym:    muteness

2. the trait of keeping things secret

   Synonym:    secrecysecretiveness

3. the absence of sound
   1. he needed silence in order to sleep
   2. the street was quiet

   Synonym:    quiet

4. the state of being silent (as when no one is speaking)
   1. there was a shocked silence
   2. he gestured for silence

verb

1. cause to be quiet or not talk
   1. Please silence the children in the church!

   Synonym:    hushquietenstillshut uphush up

2. keep from expression, for example by threats or pressure
   1. All dissenters were silenced when the dictator assumed power