n. [ F., fr. L. silentium. See Silent. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The state of being silent; entire absence of sound or noise; absolute stillness. [ 1913 Webster ]

I saw and heared; for such a numerous host
Fled not in silence through the frighted deep. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Forbearance from, or absence of, speech; taciturnity; muteness. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Secrecy; as, these things were transacted in silence. [ 1913 Webster ]

The administration itself keeps a profound silence. D. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The cessation of rage, agitation, or tumilt; calmness; quiest; as, the elements were reduced to silence. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Absence of mention; oblivion. [ 1913 Webster ]

And what most merits fame, in silence hid. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

interj. Be silent; -- used elliptically for let there be silence, or keep silence. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Silenced p. pr. & vb. n. Silencing ] 1. To compel to silence; to cause to be still; to still; to hush. [ 1913 Webster ]

Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the isle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To put to rest; to quiet. [ 1913 Webster ]

This would silence all further opposition. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

These would have silenced their scruples. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To restrain from the exercise of any function, privilege of instruction, or the like, especially from the act of preaching; as, to silence a minister of the gospel. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Rev. Thomas Hooker of Chelmsford, in Essex, was silenced for nonconformity. B. Trumbull. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To cause to cease firing, as by a vigorous cannonade; as, to silence the batteries of an enemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that silences; specif.: (a) The muffler of an internal-combustion engine. (b) Any of various devices to silence the humming noise of telegraph wires. (c) A device for silencing the report of a firearm shooting its projectiles singly, as a tubular attachment for the muzzle having circular plates that permit the passage of the projectile but impart a rotary motion to, and thus retard, the exploding gases. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]