What does "silent" mean?
Silent: Not speaking; indisposed to talk; speechless; mute; taciturn; not loquacious; not talkative. Ulysses, adds he, was the most eloquent and most silent of men. Broome. This new-created world, whereof in hell Fame is not silent. Milton.
Additional senses
- 2.Keeping at rest; inactive; calm; undisturbed; as, the wind is silent. Parnell. Sir W. Raleigh.
- 3.(Pron.) Not pronounced; having no sound; quiescent; as, e is silent in "fable."
- 4.Having no effect; not operating; inefficient. [R.] Cause . . . silent, virtueless, and dead. Sir W. Raleigh. Silent partner. See Dormant partner, under Dormant. See Mute, and Taciturn.
- 5.That which is silent; a time of silence. [R.] "The silent of the night." Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00