Dictionary

moment of silence en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Meanings

1. A period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection.
   • I believe children should be allowed to have a moment of silence in schools. But I do not believe an amendment allowing school prayer belongs in the Constitution. 1990, Richard Nixon, “Religion”, in In the Arena: A Memoir of Victory, Defeat, and Renewal, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 91:
   • The pastor always opened his Sunday service with a moment of silence.
2. A period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person, as part of the mourning process. May also be conducted following a tragic event or on the anniversary thereof.
   • The principal requested a moment of silence in memory of the two girls who died in a car accident over the weekend.
   • The custom of observing a moment of silence before an athletic event to honor dead people strikes me as meaningless. And arbitrary. Because, if you'll notice, only certain people get this special treatment. It's highly selective. Therefore I've decided that someday, when the time comes that every single person in the world who dies receives a moment of silence, I will begin paying attention. Until then, count me out. It's ridiculous. 2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 174:

Forms

Relateds

minute of silence · two-minute silence

Translations (37)

ro moment de liniște (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · ko 묵도 (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · tr saygı duruşu (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · fr minute de silence (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ru мину́та молча́ния (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · pl minuta ciszy (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · el ενός λεπτού σιγή (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · fi hiljainen hetki (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ka წუთიერი დუმილი (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · cs minuta ticha (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · bg мину́та мълча́ние (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · id mengheningkan cipta (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · de Schweigeminute (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · sv tyst minut (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ro moment de reculegere (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · id pengheningan cipta (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · id pengheningan (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · vi một phút mặc niệm (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · eo minuto da silento (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · fi hiljainen hetki (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · pt minuto de silêncio (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · es minuto de silencio (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · es momento de silencio (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · eu minutuko isilune (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · de Gedenkminute (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ro moment de reculegere (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ko 묵념 (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · hy լռության րոպե (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · de Moment der Stille (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · ja 黙祷 (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · et vaikusminut (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · uk хвилина мовчання (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · cmn 靜默時間 /静默时间 (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · cmn 默哀 (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · ko 묵념 (period of silence conducted to honor or provide a gesture of respect to a recently deceased person) · bg мину́та мълча́ние (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection) · es momento de silencio (period of silence for quiet meditation, prayer or reflection)