silencer
(ˈsaɪlənsə(r))
[f. silence v. + -er1.]
1. One who, or that which, silences; a conclusive argument or retort.
| 1635 Strafford Lett. (1739) I. 419 Death (the great Silencer of all our Words and Thoughts). 1684 Baxter Twelve Argt. Post. N 3, Both Extreams..are silencers of all that would undeceive them. 1817 Keats To Georgiana A. Wylie 64 Bane of every wicked spell; Silencer of dragon's yell. 1871 G. Meredith Harry Richmond xv, But my retort..was a silencer. |
2. A piece of mechanism attached to a motor vehicle and used to silence or reduce the sound naturally caused by its working; also, a similar contrivance attached to a maxim gun, rifle, etc.
| 1898 Autocar 5 Feb. 93/2 A more satisfactory silencer than the average run of silencers on Bollées. 1905 Engineering 20 Oct. 529/3 This form of silencer is not necessarily confined to marine motors. 1926 G. Hunting Vicarion vi. 98 He must have had a silencer on his gun. 1950 G. Brenan Face of Spain vii. 149 Nine hours in a bus without a silencer..over mountain roads full of pot-holes. 1958 Economist 25 Oct. 349/3 Silencers on the engines reduce their efficiency by 4 to 5 per cent, and the total weight of silencing equipment is 1,600 lb, equivalent to 8 passengers. 1978 R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant iii. 44 He opened the door, pulled out his revolver and fired, the gunshot muted by a silencer. |
Hence ˈsilencered a., of guns: fitted with a silencer (cf. silenced ppl. a. b).
| 1967 J. Wainwright Worms must Wait lxxxii. 214 They heard the tiny crack of the silencered Luger. |