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Silence vs Stifle - What's the difference?

silence | stifle | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between silence and stifle

is that silence is to suppress criticism, etc while stifle is to treat a silkworm cocoon with steam as part of the process of silk production.

As an interjection silence

is a common imperative instructing the addressed to remain silent.

silence

English

Noun

(wikipedia silence) (en-noun)
  • The lack of any sound.
  • The act of refraining from speaking.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then we relapsed into a discomfited silence , and wished we were anywhere else. But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud, and with such a hearty enjoyment that instead of getting angry and more mortified we began to laugh ourselves, and instantly felt better.}}
  • * D. Webster
  • The administration itself keeps a profound silence .
  • Form of meditative worship practiced by the Society of Friends (Quakers); meeting for worship.
  • Synonyms

    * quietness

    Derived terms

    * blue wall of silence * cone of silence * conspiracy of silence * deafening silence * moment of silence * radio silence * silence is golden * tower of silence * two-minute silence * vow of silence * wall of silence

    Verb

    (silenc)
  • To make (someone or something) silent.
  • Can you silence the crowd, so we can start the show?
  • To suppress criticism, etc.
  • Silence the critics.
    Silence the doubters.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 19 , author=Kerry Brown , title=Kim Jong-il obituary , work=The Guardian citation , page= , passage=A state ideology, mixing nationalism, and basic Marxist economics, going under the name "Juche", was constructed, and Kim Il-sung effectively silenced , disposed of and cleared away any opposition, isolating the country and exercising an iron grip on the military, the state media and the government and party organs.}}
  • (Molecular biology) To block gene expression.
  • Derived terms

    * silencer

    See also

    * quiet, noise, loud, deaf, audible.

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • A common imperative instructing the addressed to remain silent.
  • * Silence ! Enough of your insolence!
  • Synonyms

    * be quiet! * hush! * whist!

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    stifle

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hind knee of various mammals, especially horses.
  • (veterinary medicine) A bone disease of this region.
  • Verb

    (stifl)
  • To interrupt or cut off.
  • To repress, keep in or hold back.
  • * Waterland
  • I desire only to have things fairly represented as they really are; no evidence smothered or stifled .
  • * , chapter=15
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=Edward Churchill still attended to his work in a hopeless mechanical manner like a sleep-walker who walks safely on a well-known round. But his Roman collar galled him, his cossack stifled him, his biretta was as uncomfortable as a merry-andrew's cap and bells.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 29, author=Neil Johnston, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Norwich 3-3 Blackburn , passage=In fact, there was no suggestion of that, although Wolves deployed men behind the ball to stifle the league leaders in a first-half that proved very frustrating for City.}}
  • To smother or suffocate.
  • * (John Dryden)
  • Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies.
  • * (Jonathan Swift)
  • I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room.
  • To feel smothered etc.
  • To die of suffocation.
  • To treat a silkworm cocoon with steam as part of the process of silk production.
  • Synonyms

    * (to die of suffocation) See also * (To repress or hold back) hinder, restrain, suppress, throttle