silent
silent — 名詞
1. a mode on a phone or similar gadget where the device stops ringing or beeping wh
靜音模式
手機等裝置不發出鈴聲或提示聲的設定
a mode on a phone or similar gadget where the device stops ringing or beeping when calls or messages arrive, so it does not disturb you.
Felipe put his phone on silent before walking into the job interview.
Felipe 走進面試會場前，把手機調成靜音。
collocation: put [phone] on silent
Please switch your tablet to silent during the museum tour, everyone.
請大家在博物館導覽期間，把平板切到靜音模式。
collocation: switch [device] to silent
Élise missed three calls from the hospital because her phone was on silent all morning.
Élise 整個早上都把手機調成靜音，因此漏接了醫院打來的三通電話。
Most students leave their phones on silent during the chemistry exam.
大部分學生在化學考試時，都把手機保持在靜音模式。
Christopher forgot to take his watch off silent and slept through the alarm.
Christopher 忘記把手錶從靜音模式切回來，結果鬧鐘響時整個睡過頭。
- silent mode
fuller form; same meaning, slightly more technical.
- mute
often a button label; can also be a verb ('mute the phone').
- do not disturb
a related but stricter setting that also blocks notifications, not only sound.
- ringer on
informal opposite — sound notifications enabled.
文法句型
on silent
put/switch/leave [device] on silent
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable and almost always after the preposition 'on' (less often 'to' or 'off'). Distinguish from the adjective senses: the noun names a specific device setting, while the adjective describes any quiet state.
常見錯誤
silent — 形容詞
- silentpositive
- more silentcomparative
- most silentsuperlative
1. with no noise at all, so that you can hear nothing.
寂靜的
完全沒有聲音、聽不到任何噪音的
with no noise at all, so that you can hear nothing.
The library was completely silent except for the ticking of the clock above the door.
整間圖書館一片寂靜，只剩門上時鐘的滴答聲。
predicative use after 'was'
Esme crept across the silent kitchen and reached for the cookie jar on the top shelf.
Esme 躡手躡腳走過寂靜的廚房，伸手去拿最上層的餅乾罐。
attributive use before noun
The whole street fell silent when the ambulance siren stopped at the corner.
救護車警笛在街角停下後，整條街頓時變得鴉雀無聲。
Christopher's new electric car is almost silent on the motorway.
Christopher 的新電動車在高速公路上幾乎沒有聲音。
After midnight the old farmhouse was silent, and even the dogs had stopped barking.
午夜過後，那座老農舍一片寂靜，連狗都不再吠叫。
文法句型
fall silent
go silent
用法筆記
Often follows 'fall', 'go', or 'stay' to describe a sudden or continued absence of sound. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about people not speaking.
常見錯誤
2. not saying anything at a moment when you might be expected to speak.
沉默的
該說話時卻不發一語的
not saying anything at a moment when you might be expected to speak.
Darius stayed silent throughout the meeting and only nodded when his manager asked a question.
Darius 整場會議都保持沉默，只在主管提問時點點頭。
collocation: stay silent
Why are you so silent tonight, Élise? Has something upset you at school?
Élise，你今晚怎麼這麼沉默？是不是學校發生了什麼讓你不開心的事？
predicative use; direct address
The witness chose to remain silent about what she had seen near the warehouse.
那名證人選擇對她在倉庫附近看到的事情保持沉默。
Quan was silent for a long minute before answering his grandmother's question.
Quan 沉默了很久，才回答祖母的問題。
- speechless
implies an inability to speak, often from shock
- wordless
more literary; emphasizes the absence of words
- mum
informal; usually in 'keep mum'
文法句型
be silent about something
remain silent
keep silent
用法筆記
Frequently follows 'remain', 'stay', 'fall', or 'keep'. With 'about + noun', it means refusing or failing to discuss a specific topic. Different from sense 3, which describes a person's general personality rather than one moment.
常見錯誤
3. describing a person who naturally says little, often coming across as calm, seri
寡言的
個性上習慣不多話的
describing a person who naturally says little, often coming across as calm, serious, or quietly confident.
Gabriel is the silent type at parties, but his close friends know he tells brilliant jokes at home.
Gabriel 在派對上是那種沉默寡言的人，但熟識的朋友都知道他在家會講超棒的笑話。
fixed phrase: the silent type
Our new neighbour is a tall, silent man who waves once each morning and disappears.
我們的新鄰居是個高大寡言的男人，每天早上揮一次手就消失了。
attributive use
Yan was a silent boy in primary school, but he became confident on the debate team.
Yan 在小學時是個寡言的男孩，後來在辯論隊裡才變得有自信。
The detective in the novel is a silent figure who solves cases without ever raising her voice.
小說裡的那位偵探是個沉默寡言的角色，破案時從不提高音量。
文法句型
a silent type
the strong silent type
用法筆記
Refers to a settled trait of personality, not a single moment of not speaking. The fixed phrase 'the strong silent type' often carries a positive or admiring tone in fiction. Distinguish from sense 2 (one specific moment of not speaking).
常見錯誤
4. choosing not to give information about something, especially when questioned by
緘默的
刻意不透露相關資訊的
choosing not to give information about something, especially when questioned by police or asked publicly.
The suspect was reminded that he had the right to remain silent until his lawyer arrived.
嫌犯被告知，他有權在律師到場前保持緘默。
fixed phrase: right to remain silent
Senator Diya stayed silent on the budget vote, even when reporters waited outside her office.
Diya 參議員對預算投票一事保持緘默，即使記者守在她辦公室外也不開口。
pattern: silent on + topic
Amani has been silent about the missing documents since the audit began last month.
自從上個月開始稽核以來，Amani 對失蹤文件一事一直閉口不談。
The contract requires both companies to be silent on the terms of the settlement.
合約要求兩家公司對和解條款都必須保密、不予置評。
- reticent
formal; emphasizes unwillingness to talk about something
- tight-lipped
informal; vivid image of refusing to share details
- non-committal
avoids taking a clear position
- forthcoming
willingly sharing information
- open
freely talking about something
文法句型
the right to remain silent
be silent on something
用法筆記
Most often used with 'on' or 'about' + a topic, and frequently in legal or political contexts. Distinguish from sense 2 (just not speaking at this moment) — sense 4 implies a deliberate refusal to disclose specific information.
常見錯誤
5. happening or working in a way that other people do not see or pay attention to.
無聲無息的
在不被察覺中發生或進行的
happening or working in a way that other people do not see or pay attention to.
High blood pressure is sometimes called a silent killer because it causes harm without clear warning signs.
高血壓有時被稱為「無聲殺手」，因為它在沒有明顯警訊的情況下造成傷害。
fixed collocation: silent killer
Constanza's silent support for the new project gave the young engineers the courage to keep going.
Constanza 對新案子的默默支持，給了年輕工程師繼續努力的勇氣。
attributive use; abstract noun
Tenants discovered a silent rent hike that had quietly raised their bills over six months.
房客們發現了一波悄悄調漲的租金，在六個月內無聲無息地拉高了他們的帳單。
Climate change is a silent threat to many small farms across the southern region.
氣候變遷對南部地區許多小型農場是一項看不見的威脅。
文法句型
a silent + noun (killer/threat/majority/protest)
用法筆記
Almost always attributive (before a noun). Common fixed pairings include 'silent killer', 'silent majority', 'silent protest', and 'silent partner'. Distinguish from sense 1 (literally without sound) — here the focus is on being unnoticed, not on noise level.
常見錯誤
6. describing a disease or infection that develops in the body without causing symp
無症狀的
疾病在體內進展卻不出現明顯症狀的
describing a disease or infection that develops in the body without causing symptoms a patient can notice.
Doctors warn that a silent heart attack can leave damage that only shows up on a later scan.
醫師警告，無症狀的心臟病發作可能留下傷害，要等之後做掃描才會發現。
domain: medicine; fixed: silent heart attack
Ava was shocked to learn that her thyroid problem had been a silent illness for over five years.
Ava 得知自己的甲狀腺問題已經潛伏超過五年時，感到非常震驚。
Public health officials worried about silent carriers spreading the virus in crowded train stations.
公衛官員擔心，無症狀的帶原者會在擁擠的火車站散播病毒。
The clinic now screens older patients for silent infections that might affect kidney function.
這間診所現在會幫年長病人篩檢可能影響腎功能的潛伏感染。
- asymptomatic
technical; the medical term for showing no symptoms
- subclinical
highly technical; below the level of clear clinical signs
- hidden
less precise; everyday register
- symptomatic
showing clear signs of disease
文法句型
a silent + medical noun (infection/heart attack/spreader)
用法筆記
Always attributive in this medical sense. Typical pairings: 'silent heart attack', 'silent stroke', 'silent infection', 'silent carrier', 'silent spreader'. Use sense 5 ('unnoticed') for non-medical contexts; this sense is reserved for clinical or public-health writing.
常見錯誤
7. felt or accepted between people without anyone actually saying it out loud, ofte
心照不宣
未說出口卻彼此理解的
felt or accepted between people without anyone actually saying it out loud, often through a look, a nod, or a shared assumption.
There was a silent agreement among the neighbors not to mention the broken fence again.
鄰居之間有一種默契，不再提那道壞掉的圍籬。
silent agreement = unspoken understanding
Faisal gave his daughter a silent nod of approval as she stepped onto the stage.
Faisal 在女兒走上舞台時，無言地點頭表示認可。
silent + noun of communication (nod, approval)
The two old friends shared a silent understanding that some questions were better left alone.
兩位老朋友彼此心照不宣，知道有些問題不必問。
Her crossed arms and tight lips were a silent rebuke that Dario felt across the room.
她抱胸抿嘴的模樣，是一種無聲的責備，Dario 在房間另一頭都感受得到。
文法句型
silent + abstract noun (agreement, approval, rebuke)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (without talking): this sense modifies an abstract noun (agreement, approval, message), not a person. The communication still happens — just not through speech.
常見錯誤
8. describes a letter that appears in the spelling of a word but is not actually sa
不發音的
拼字中存在但唸不出聲的字母
describes a letter that appears in the spelling of a word but is not actually said when you read the word aloud — like the k in knee.
The 'b' in 'lamb' is silent, which often confuses children learning to spell.
lamb 中的 b 不發音，這常讓學拼字的孩子感到困惑。
the [letter] in [word] is silent
Zuri asked her teacher why the 'k' in 'knife' is silent.
Zuri 問老師為什麼 knife 裡的 k 不發音。
silent + specific letter in a word
English has many silent letters, such as the 'h' in 'hour' and the 'p' in 'psychology'.
英文有許多不發音的字母，例如 hour 的 h 和 psychology 的 p。
Many French words end with a silent consonant that English speakers often try to pronounce.
許多法文單字以不發音的子音結尾，英文母語者常會試著把它唸出來。
- unpronounced
more technical; used in linguistics descriptions
- mute
older term, sometimes seen in older grammar books (the mute e)
文法句型
silent + letter / consonant / vowel
用法筆記
Almost always attributive (silent letter, silent k). You don't say 'the letter is silent' as often as 'the silent letter' — though the predicative form does occur in language teaching ('the b is silent').
常見錯誤
9. describes the early films from roughly the 1890s to the late 1920s, which had pi
默片的
早期沒有對白配音的電影
describes the early films from roughly the 1890s to the late 1920s, which had pictures and music but no recorded speech, so the actors' words were shown on text cards instead.
Charlie Chaplin became famous during the silent film era of the 1920s.
Charlie Chaplin 在 1920 年代的默片時代聲名大噪。
silent film era — historical period
Aoi watched a silent movie at the festival and was surprised by how expressive the acting was.
Aoi 在影展看了一部默片，驚訝於演員肢體表演竟然如此豐富。
silent movie + viewer reaction
Many silent films were lost forever because the old reels were stored in poor conditions.
許多默片因為舊膠卷保存不善，已經永遠失傳。
A live pianist would often play music in cinemas to accompany silent movies.
戲院裡常有現場鋼琴師伴奏，為默片配上音樂。
- soundless
rarely used for films; describes any media without audio
文法句型
silent + film / movie / era / cinema
用法筆記
Used attributively before nouns like film, movie, cinema, era, comedian, star. Refers specifically to a historical genre — modern films released without dialogue are usually called 'dialogue-free' or 'wordless' instead.