Sī'lent1, a.
a. [Lat. silens, silentis, p. pr. of silere, to be silent, O. Fr. silent, O. It. silente.]
Sense 1. Free from sound or noise; absolutely still; perfectly quiet.
How silent is this town! Shak.
Sense 2. Indisposed to talk; speechless; mute; habitually taciturn; not loquacious; not talkative.
Ulysses, he adds, was the most eloquent and the most silent of men. Broome.
This new-created world, of which in hell Fame is not silent. Milton.
Sense 3. Keeping at rest; inactive; calm; undisturbed; as, the wind is silent. Parnell. Raleigh.
Sense 4. (Pron.) Not pronounced; having no sound; quiescent; as, e is silent in “fable.”
Sense 5. Having no effect; not operating; inefficient. [Rare.] “Causes . . . silent, virtueless, and dead.” Raleigh.
Sense 6. Not engaged in active business, or not so engaged; dormant; as, a silent partner in a commercial house.
Synonyms—Mute; taciturn; dumb; speechless; quiet; still. See MUTE and TACITURN.