mass noun
1- complete absence of sound寂静：
sirens pierce the silence of the night
警报声划破了夜空的寂静
count noun an eerie silence descended over the house.可怕的寂静笼罩着那所房屋。
1.1
- the fact or state of abstaining from speech沉默; 默不作声：
Karen had withdrawn into sullen silence
凯伦陷入愠怒之中, 一言不发
she was reduced to silence for a moment.
她有一阵子沉默不语。
1.2
- the avoidance of mentioning or discussing something不提; 不谈; 缄默：
politicians keep their silence on the big questions.
政客们对重大问题保持缄默。
1.3
- count noun 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默哀; 静默：
the game was preceded by a two-minute silence in his memory.
比赛进行之前为他默哀了两分钟。
with obj.［often be silenced］
1- cause to become silent; prohibit or prevent from speaking使沉默; 使安静; 使哑口无言：
she was silenced by the Inspector's stern look
督察严肃的表情使她默不作声
the team's performance silenced their critics
该队的表现使爱挑他们毛病的人哑口无言
freedom of the press cannot be silenced by tanks.
坦克镇压不了新闻自由。
1.1
- usu. as adj. silenced fit (a gun or an exhaust system) with a silencer给（枪, 排气系统）装消音器：
a silenced.22 rifle.
装有消音器0.22英寸口径的步枪。
短语
in silence
- without speech or other sound安静地, 无声地：
we finished our meal in silence.
我们静静地吃完了饭。
silence is golden
- proverb it's often wise to say nothing〈谚〉沉默是金; 什么也不说最好。
词源
Middle English: from Old French， from Latin silentium, from silere 'be silent'.