silent

• adj. 沉默的；寂靜的；無記載的
• n. 無聲電影

來自拉丁語 silere,安靜的，-ent,形容詞後綴。

silent

silent: [16] Silent comes from the present participle of Latin silēre ‘be silent’. It is not clear what the origins of this were, although it seems likely to be related in some way to Gothic anasilan, a verb which denoted the wind dying down, and also perhaps to Latin dēsinere ‘stop’ (in which case its underlying meaning would be ‘stop speaking’). The Latin-derived noun silentium actually reached English much earlier than the adjective, as silence [13].

silent (adj.)

c. 1500, "without speech, silent, not speaking," from Latin silentem (nominative silens) "still, calm, quiet," present participle of silere "be quiet or still" (see silence (n.)). Meaning "free from noise or sound" is from 1580s.

Of letters, c. 1600; of films, 1914. In the looser sense "of few words," from 1840. Phrase strong, silent (type) is attested from 1905. Silent majority in the political sense of "mass of people whose moderate views are not publicly expressed and thus overlooked" is first attested 1955 in a British context and was used by John F. Kennedy but is most associated in U.S. with the rhetoric of the Nixon administration (1969-74).

It is time for America's silent majority to stand up for its rights, and let us remember the American majority includes every minority. America's silent majority is bewildered by irrational protest. [Spiro T. Agnew, May 9, 1969]

In Victorian use, the phrase meant "the dead" (1874; compare Roman use of the noun plural of "silent" to mean "the dead"). Silence is golden (1831) is Carlyle's translation ["Sartor Resartus"] of part of the "Swiss Inscription" Sprechen ist silbern, Schweigen ist golden. In one 14c. text Latin "one who is silent" is translated by a beere stille.

1. Gail was silent for a moment, regarding Harry with his steady gaze.

蓋爾鎮定地注視著哈裏，沉默了片刻。

來自柯林斯例句

2. He spoke no English and was completely silent during the visit.

他不會說英語，參觀過程中一言未發。

來自柯林斯例句

3. The forest was dark and silent, haunted by shadows and unseen presences.

這個森林黑暗寂靜，經常有幽靈和看不見的鬼怪出沒。

來自柯林斯例句

4. He looked back at the abject, silent girl and repeated his question.

他轉過頭看著這個噤若寒蟬的女孩，又重複了一遍他的問題。

來自柯林斯例句

5. She was a small, silent woman with pinched features and thin hair.

她是一位瘦小、沉默的女子，麵容消瘦，頭發稀疏。

來自柯林斯例句