silence
/ˈsaɪləns/KK
saɪ·ləns
變化形
silences
1.
寂靜；安靜
周圍沒有聲音，或聲音極少而顯得安靜的狀態。
用法：作不可數名詞時通常不加冠詞；若指一段特定的安靜時間，可用可數形式，例如「a long silence」。
Please keep silence in the library because other students are studying.
圖書館裡請保持安靜，因為其他學生正在讀書。
2.
沉默；不說話
某人沒有說話，尤其是在原本可能會回答、表達意見或作出反應的情況下。
用法：常見於「in silence」、「remain silent」與「silence from＋人」等結構。表示某人不回應時，常說「silence from someone」，而不是直接把人接在 silence 後面。
When the teacher asked who had taken the missing food, the class fell into silence.
老師問是誰拿走不見的食物時，全班陷入一片寂靜。
Her silence after my message made me worry that she was angry with me.
她在收到我的訊息後沒有回應，讓我擔心她生我的氣。
3.
緘默；不公開談論
刻意不談論、隱瞞或不公開某件事，尤其是敏感、令人不安或有爭議的事。
用法：常搭配介系詞「on」或「about」，例如「silence on the issue」與「silence about the incident」。
The company finally broke its silence about the problem and apologized to its customers.
這家公司終於打破沉默，談到這個問題，並向顧客道歉。
Years of silence about students being hurt by others can make it harder for them to ask for help.
學生多年來對被他人傷害的事保持沉默，可能會讓他們更難開口求助。
常見錯誤
She didn't answer me, so she gave me a silence.
She didn't answer me, so she responded with silence.／She stayed silent.
Please keep silence in the library.
Please be quiet in the library.／Please keep quiet in the library.
There was a silence in the classroom because everyone was sleeping.
There was silence in the classroom because everyone was sleeping.／The classroom was silent because everyone was sleeping.
He was silence after hearing the news.
He was silent after hearing the news.／He remained in silence after hearing the news.
相關字詞
學習提示
・「silence」既可指環境完全安靜，也可指人不說話；要靠上下文判斷。
・「a moment of silence」是「默哀片刻」，常用於追悼或紀念活動，並不只是一般的安靜。
・「break the silence」可指打破安靜，也可指終於公開談論先前避而不談的事情。