adjective Making no sound at all; completely quiet.
- The library fell silent as soon as the exam began.
- After the joke fell flat, the room went silent.
- The forest was completely silent after the snow began to fall.
adjective Not speaking; saying nothing.
- He stayed silent throughout the interview, refusing to answer any questions.
- When I asked who broke the vase, the children stayed silent.
- She remained silent rather than argue with her friend.
adjective Of a letter, written but not pronounced.
- The "k" in "knee" is silent.
- The "b" in "lamb" is silent, which confuses many learners.
- In the word "island", the letter s is silent.
noun A film made without recorded sound or dialogue.
- Charlie Chaplin built his career in silents before talkies took over.
- We watched an old silent at the cinema, with a pianist playing live.
- Many silents relied on exaggerated acting and written captions to tell the story.
