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   silence

   /ˈsʌɪləns/

   noun

   • 1. complete absence of sound: "sirens pierce the silence of the night" Similar quietnessquietquietudestillstillnesshushtranquillitynoiselessnesssoundlessnesspeacepeacefulnesspeace and quietOpposite soundnoise
   • ▪ the fact or state of abstaining from speech: "Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence" Similar speechlessnesswordlessnessvoicelessnessdumbnessmutenesstaciturnityreticenceuncommunicativenessunresponsivenessOpposite speechloquacity
   • ▪ the avoidance of mentioning or discussing something: "politicians keep their silence on the big questions" Similar secretivenesssecrecyreticencetaciturnityuncommunicativenessconcealmentOpposite communicationcommunicativeness
   • ▪ a short appointed period of time during which people stand still and do not speak as a sign of respect for a dead person or group of people: "the game was preceded by a two-minute silence in his memory"

   verb

   • 1. prohibit or prevent from speaking: "she was silenced by the officer's stern look" Similar hushshushstillgagmuzzlecensorstiflequietenquietstopput an end toput a stop tocut shortsuppressOpposite occasionencourage
   • ▪ stop or suppress (a sound or noise); cause to become silent: "she silenced the alarm on her phone" Similar muffledeadensoftenmutesmotherdampendamp downtone downmasksuppressreduceabateextinguishkillOpposite amplify
   • 2. suppress or prevent the expression of (a gene or genetic material): "many inherited disorders are caused by a mutation that silences a gene"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French, from Latin silentium, from silere ‘be silent’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

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