Meaning of silent In English

• 0 without any sound:

  • The empty house was completely silent.

  • literary It was four o'clock in the morning and the streets were as silent as the grave (= completely silent).

• 1 without talking:

  • She whispered a silent prayer that her wounded brother would not die.

  • The police officer told the criminal that he had the right to remain silent.

  • He was silent on/about his plans for the future.

  • Arthur has always been the strong, silent type (= a type of person, usually a man, who says very little).

• 2 doing something or happening without being noticed:

  • Hypertension is often called the silent killer.

  • A silent epidemic of oral diseases is affecting our most vulnerable citizens.

• 3 a setting on an electronic device that stops it from making a noise when it receives a message:

  • The show's about to start so I'm putting my phone on silent.

• 4 not speaking or making noise:

  • I have remained silent till now, Mike, but I have to tell you what I think.

  • The "b" in doubt is silent.

• 5 completely quiet:

  • Madeleine turned back down the empty, silent street.