n (1)安(寂)静，无声(lack or absence of any sound;quietness or stillness)[U]：S～，please! 请安静! love the～of the country/the night 喜爱乡村/夜晚的宁静;A scream broke/shattered the～of the woods. 一声尖叫打破了树林的寂静。The whole house was blanketed in～. 整所房子陷入一片寂静。〖同〗quiet，quietness，stillness，noiselessness，soundlessness;〖反〗sound，noise，roar;

(2)沉(缄)默，不说话(not saying anything)[U]：S～was the young man's key to success. 缄默是那个年轻人成功的关键。His～indicates (implies) disapproval/consent. 他的沉默表示(暗示)不同意/同意。 Your～on recent events surprises me. 你对最近一系列事件的沉默使我感到惊奇。guess the import of one's friend's long～猜测朋友长时间缄默的含义;S～means/gives consent. 沉默就是同意。S～is golden. (prov) 沉默是金。Her forceful arguments reduced her opponents to～. 她有力的论据使得她的对手们全都安静了下来。buy sb's～收买某人让其保持沉默;〖同〗speechlessness，muteness，dumbness;〖反〗speech，talking，talkativeness;

(3)沉默的一段时间(period of time marked by this)[C]：A sudden～followed his remark. 他发言后突然陷入沉默。During the meeting there were many～s.会议期间有多次冷场。A new～came between them. 他们之间出现了新的沉默。There is a strange～before a storm. 暴风雨之前有一段不寻常的沉静。an embarrassed～尴尬的沉默;a long unexplained～长时间莫明其妙的沉默;observe a one-minute～in memory of the war dead 为战争中的死难者举行一分钟的默哀;

in silence 沉默地，无声地：They walked on in～. 他们一言不发地走着。

v(1)使安静(沉默)(make silent or bring to silence;quiet)[T+n]：～the noisy children/a crying baby 使吵闹的孩子/啼哭的婴儿安静下来;～sb with a gesture 打手势示意某人安静;The arrival of the teacher～d the class. 教师的到来使班上静了下来。 The enemy's guns were～d by repeated bombings. 敌人的炮火被轮番轰炸打哑了。〖同〗still，quiet，quieten，calm，dumb;〖反〗arouse，stir up;

(2)制止，压制(force to stop the expression of)[T+n]：measures to～the press 压制新闻界的措施;～one's opponents/the critics of the government 使对手/批评政府的人无话可说;〖同〗stop，halt，quiet，still;〖反〗encourage，support，aid，help;

←′silent adj;

→′silencer n 消音器