Dictionary

silently en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈsaɪləntli/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English silent Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English silently From silent + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a silent manner; making no noise.
   • Frederick, I presume, at this late hour of four, may be snatching a morsel of dinner; his orderlies are silently speeding, plans taken, orders given: […] 1865, Thomas Carlyle, chapter IX, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume VI, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC:
   • It often happens that the most important results in the natural world are brought about by causes which operate silently, if not imperceptibly. 1838, William Andrus Alcott, chapter I, in The Young House-keeper: Or, Thoughts on Food and Cookery, third stereotype edition, Boston: George W. Light, page 21:
2. Of an edit or change to a text, without explicit acknowledgment.
   • There never was an English-language text, either in 1561 or 1859. Yule and Burnell have silently provided a translation. 2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 496:

Forms

Deriveds

yell silently

Relateds

silence · silent

Translations (44)

ru ти́хо (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pl bezdźwięcznie (in a silent manner; making no noise) · cs tiše (in a silent manner; making no noise) · txb ām (in a silent manner; making no noise) · el αθόρυβα (in a silent manner; making no noise) · no stille (in a silent manner; making no noise) · be ці́ха (in a silent manner; making no noise) · es callandito (in a silent manner; making no noise) · it silenziosamente (in a silent manner; making no noise) · gl silenciosamente (in a silent manner; making no noise) · grc ἀκήν (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pl cicho (in a silent manner; making no noise) · nb lydløst (in a silent manner; making no noise) · fi hiljaa (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pl bezgłośnie (in a silent manner; making no noise) · es calla callando (in a silent manner; making no noise) · ca silenciosament (in a silent manner; making no noise) · sa तूष्णीम् (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pl bezszmerowo (in a silent manner; making no noise) · ru безмо́лвно (in a silent manner; making no noise) · hu némán (in a silent manner; making no noise) · la silenter (in a silent manner; making no noise) · es silenciosamente (in a silent manner; making no noise) · fi hiljaisesti (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pt silenciosamente (in a silent manner; making no noise) · eo silente (in a silent manner; making no noise) · es chiticallando (in a silent manner; making no noise) · ru молчали́во (in a silent manner; making no noise) · nl stilletjes (in a silent manner; making no noise) · pl bezszelestnie (in a silent manner; making no noise) · hu csendesen (in a silent manner; making no noise) · io silence (in a silent manner; making no noise) · ru мо́лча (in a silent manner; making no noise) · hu csendben (in a silent manner; making no noise) · br didrouz (in a silent manner; making no noise) · fr silencieusement (in a silent manner; making no noise) · grc σιωπῇ (in a silent manner; making no noise) · de still (in a silent manner; making no noise) · grc σιγῇ (in a silent manner; making no noise) · tr sessizce (in a silent manner; making no noise) · eo mute (in a silent manner; making no noise) · cs neslyšně (in a silent manner; making no noise) · es callando (in a silent manner; making no noise) · hu hangtalanul (in a silent manner; making no noise)