silent

Everyday

1. Silent means making no sound at all; completely quiet. tree →
2. A silent person is not speaking. tree →
3. A silent letter is written in a word but not said, like the k in «knee». tree →

In the lessons

In school, «silent reading» means reading to yourself without talking, and «silent working» means no talking. In English spelling, many words have silent letters: k in knife, w in write, b in lamb, h in hour, t in listen. In everyday life, «a minute's silence» honours people who have died, and phones can be put on silent. In stories, «the forest was silent» creates tension. In science, sound needs air or another material; space is silent.

Examples

• Please read silently for ten minutes. tree →
• The library was completely silent. tree →
• The «k» in «knee» is silent. tree →
• Put your phone on silent during the film. tree →
• He stayed silent and didn't answer. tree →
• Space is silent because there is no air. tree →
• Owls fly in silent flight. tree →
• Everyone stood silent for one minute. tree →
• “Johnny’s a silent fellow,” he reminded Hook. tree →

Note

Adverb «silently», noun «silence». Silent letters are a common spelling trap: write, knight, thumb, island, castle, Wednesday. «Silent» = no sound; «quiet» = little sound.

In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah, "silent" describes water, one of the elements, with fire "sibilant" and air as the balance between them.

Interpretation. Tradition reads these three as the "mother" letters: Mem is silent like water, Shin hisses like fire, and Aleph balances them like air.

Examples

• Water is silent, Fire is sibilant, and Air derived fron the Spirit is as the tongue of a balance standing between these contraries which are in equilibrium, reconciling and mediating between them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Water is silent, Fire is sibilant, and Air derived from the Spirit is as the tongue of a balance standing between these contraries which are in equilibrium, reconciling and mediating between them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• On the other hand, the n occurs at the end of words as silent, indicating that it occupies the place of a vowel letter. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused out of His holy habitation. (Prophets ZEC.2.17, JPS 1917) tree →
• Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shalt no more be called the mistress of kingdoms. (Prophets ISA.47.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• So that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent; O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto Thee for ever. (Writings PSA.30.13, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Adverb «silently», noun «silence». Silent letters are a common spelling trap: write, knight, thumb, island, castle, Wednesday. «Silent» = no sound; «quiet» = little sound.