ˈsɪlvə n.,
adj., & v. --n. Chem. 1 a greyish-white lustrous
malleable ductile precious metallic element, occurring
naturally as
the element
and in
mineral form, and used
chiefly with an
admixture of harder metals
for coin,
plate, and ornaments, as a
subordinate monetary medium, and in compounds for
photography etc. °Symb.:
Ag. 2 the
colour of silver. 3 silver or
cupro-nickel coins. 4
esp.
Sc.
money. 5 silver vessels or implements, esp.
cutlery. 6
household cutlery of
any material. 7 = silver
medal. --adj. 1
made wholly or chiefly of silver. 2
coloured like silver. --v. 1 tr.
coat or plate with silver. 2 tr.
provide (a mirror-glass) with a
backing of
tin amalgam etc. 3 tr. (of the
moon or a
white light)
give a
silvery appearance to. 4 a tr.
turn (the hair)
grey or white. b intr. (of the hair) turn grey or white. øsilver
age a
period regarded as
inferior to a
golden age, e.g.
that of
post-classical Latin literature in the
early Imperial period. silver
band Brit. a band playing silver-plated instruments. silver
birch a
common birch, Betula alba, with silver-coloured bark. silver
fir any fir of the
genus Abies, with the under-sides of
its leaves coloured silver. silver
fox 1 an
American red fox at a
time when its
fur is
black with white tips. 2 its fur. silver gilt 1 gilded silver. 2 an
imitation gilding of
yellow lacquer over silver
leaf. silver-grey a lustrous grey. silver
jubilee 1 the 25th
anniversary of a sovereign's
accession. 2 any
other 25th anniversary. silver Latin
literary Latin of the early Imperial period. silver-leaf a fungal
disease of
fruit trees. silver
lining a
consolation or
hopeful feature in
misfortune. silver medal a medal of silver, usu. awarded as second prize. silver
nitrate a
colourless solid that is
soluble in
water and
formerly used in photography. silver
paper 1 a fine white tissue-paper for
wrapping silver. 2
aluminium or tin foil. silver plate vessels, spoons,
etc., of copper etc. plated with silver. silver
salmon a
coho. silver
sand a fine
pure sand used in gardening. silver
screen (usu. prec. by the)
motion pictures collectively. silver
solder solder containing silver. silver
spoon a
sign of
future prosperity. silver
standard a
system by
which the
value of a
currency is defined in terms of silver, for which the currency
may be exchanged. silver
thaw a
glassy coating of
ice formed on the ground or an exposed
surface, caused by freezing
rain or a
sudden light frost. silver
tongue eloquence. silver
wedding the 25th anniversary of a wedding. silver
weed a
plant with silvery leaves, esp. a
potentilla, Potentilla anserina, with silver-coloured leaves. [OE seolfor f. Gmc]
