1. U 寂静，无声　 absence of sound; complete quiet
2. U 沉默　 the state of not speaking or making a noise
3. U 无音信，失去联系　 failure to write a letter, to telephone, etc.
4. C 寂静时刻，期间　 a moment or period of any of these conditions

　break a ～　打破沉默
　buy sb's ～　用贿赂封某人的口
　interrupt a ～　打破沉默
　keep ～　保持沉默
　maintain ～　保持沉默
　observe a ～　保持静默
　observe three minutes' ～　默哀三分钟
　pass into ～　湮没在无声无息中
　purchase sb's ～　用贿赂堵住某人的口
　put sb to ～　驳得某人哑口无言
　retreat into one's ～　沉默不语
　treasure ～　珍视沉默
　understand a ～　理解沉静的意思〔态度〕
　absolute ～　绝对的沉默
　angry ～　愤怒的沉默
　awful ～　可怕的寂静
　awkward ～　尴尬的沉默
　brief ～　短暂的沉默
　complete ～　完全沉静
　dead ～　死一般的寂静
　deep ～　寂静
　long ～　长时间的沉默
　perfect ～　完全的沉默
　short ～　短暂的沉默
　strict ～　严格的沉默
　total ～　完全沉默
　radio ～　无线电寂静
　in ～　沉默地，无声地
　listen to sb in ～　默默地听某人讲
　pass a matter with ～　对某事置之不理
　～ between　…之间默默无言
　～ of midnight　子夜的寂静
　～ on recent events　对近来发生的事保持沉默

　A profound silence prevailed over all.　深沉的静默笼罩着一切。
　Now and then a bird's song broke in upon the silence of the wood.　鸟鸣声不时打破林中的寂静。
　The bustle and din gradually faded to silence as night advanced.　随着夜越来越深，喧闹声逐渐沉寂了。
　It is generally admitted that the moon is a world where silence prevails.　月球是一个寂静无声的世界，这一点是众所公认的。
　There was silence for a few moments, then someone came out with a most useful suggestion.　沉默了一会儿，于是有人提出了一项极有用的建议。
　From the silence of the company after he had made that remark, he realized that he had dropped a brick.　他作了那番议论以后，一看大家一声不吭，他明白自己失言了。
　She frowned him into silence.　她皱眉使他沉默。
　The criminal intimidated the witness into silence.　犯罪分子恐吓目击证人保持缄默。
　Be careful, your silence could be interpreted as an admission of guilt.　小心，你的沉默有可能被看作是承认自己有罪。
　Forgive me for my long silence.　请原谅我好久没给你写信。
　After two years' silence he suddenly got in touch with us again.　在长达两年杳无音信之后，他突然又跟我们取得了联系。
　Let's observe a minute's silence in memory of the dead.　让我们为死者静默一分钟。
　His offensive remarks were followed by an embarrassed silence.　在他那无礼的讲话后，紧跟着便是一阵令人难堪的沉默。
　There were long unexplained silences between her letters.　她不时会有一段未予解释的久无书信的时期。

 ♣ in silence
　安静地，无声地　without speaking or making a sound; silently
　She pored over the picture book in silence, enjoying the colours.　她静静地看着画册，欣赏着那些图画的色彩。
　A patient throng was waiting in silence.　一大群人耐心地静候着。
　All I had to do now was to obey him in silence.　这时，我要做的只是默默地服从他。
 ♣ reduce to silence
　使沉默下来　bring to silence
　His reply reduced me to silence.　他的回答使我哑口无言。
　Her words reduced him to angry silence.　她的话气得他一言不发。
　He managed to reduce the group of children to silence.　他设法使这群孩子安静了下来。
　She was reduced to silence at the sight.　她见到那情景便哑口无言。
 ♣ silence is golden
　免开尊口，沉默是金　it can be best to say nothing
　When the sergeant asks if there are any complaints, silence is golden.　当警官问起还有什么意见时，最好免开尊口，以免招惹麻烦。

 ♣ keep silence, keep silent
　这两个短语的意思不能混淆。keep silent是“不吭声”或“默不作声”的意思；而keep silence则是“保持安静”的意思。试比较：
　

　vt.　使安静；使沉默 cause to be quiet; make silent

　～ crowd　使人群安静下来
　～ the children　使孩子们安静下来
　～ awkwardly　尴尬地沉默
　～ completely　完全沉默
　～ discreetly　慎重地沉默
　～ effectually　有效地沉默
　～ grimly　阴森地沉默
　～ horribly　可怕地沉默
　～ incessantly　持续不断地沉默
　～ momentarily　顷刻地沉默
　～ mysteriously　秘密地沉默
　～ painfully　痛苦地沉默
　～ sarcastically　嘲笑地沉默
　～ sincerely　严肃地沉默
　～ sternly　严肃地沉默
　～ terribly　可怕地沉默
　～ unbearably　难以忍受地沉默

　He silenced the noisy children with a fierce look.　他狠狠地瞪了一眼那些闹哄哄的孩子，使他们安静下来。
　The speaker tried to silence the angry crowd.　讲话者试图使愤怒的人群安静下来。
　His commanding tone silences everyone present.　他的命令口气使在场的人安静下来。
　Rodin silenced him with a gesture.　罗丁做手势让他安静。
　The arrival of the teacher silenced the class.　教师的到来使全班安静下来。
　They silenced him by money or other inducements.　他们用金钱或其他诱惑来封他的嘴。
　The king silenced his opponents by having them put in prison.　国王把反对他的人送进监狱以使他们闭口。
　Butler's firm speech failed to silence opposition.　巴特勒强硬的话语没能制止反对意见。
　Our powerful artillery fire silenced the enemy's mortars.　我军强大的炮火迫使敌人的迫击炮停止射击。
　There must be a way to silence the echoes in this room.　一定有办法消除这个房间的回声。
　The nurse silenced the baby's crying.　护士使孩子不再哭而安静下来。
　The air intake must be silenced to some degree.　进气口的噪声太大，必须在一定程度上加以消除。
　The enemy's guns were silenced by repeated bombings.　反复轰炸压制了敌人的炮火。

　［同义词］ n. quiet
　［词源］　中古英语 <古法语 <拉丁语silentium