SILVER

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does silver mean? 

• SILVER (noun)
  The noun SILVER has 5 senses:

1. a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

2. coins made of silver

3. a light shade of grey

4. silverware eating utensils

5. a trophy made of silver (or having the appearance of silver) that is usually awarded for winning second place in a competition

  Familiarity information: SILVER used as a noun is common.

• SILVER (adjective)
  The adjective SILVER has 4 senses:

1. made from or largely consisting of silver

2. having the white lustrous sheen of silver

3. of lustrous grey; covered with or tinged with the color of silver

4. expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

  Familiarity information: SILVER used as an adjective is uncommon.

• SILVER (verb)
  The verb SILVER has 3 senses:

1. coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam

2. make silver in color

3. turn silver

  Familiarity information: SILVER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SILVER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

Ag; atomic number 47; silver

Hypernyms ("silver" is a kind of...):

conductor (a substance that readily conducts e.g. electricity and heat)

noble metal (any metal that is resistant to corrosion or oxidation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "silver"):

coin silver (a silver of the degree of purity established for making legal silver coins)

Holonyms ("silver" is a substance of...):

silver (coins made of silver)

argentite (a valuable silver ore consisting of silver sulfide (Ag2S))

sterling silver (a silver alloy with no more than 7.5% copper)

Derivation:

silver (coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam)

silvery (having the white lustrous sheen of silver)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Coins made of silver

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("silver" is a kind of...):

precious metal (any of the less common and valuable metals often used to make coins or jewelry)

Meronyms (substance of "silver"):

Ag; atomic number 47; silver (a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A light shade of grey

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

ash gray; ash grey; silver; silver gray; silver grey

Hypernyms ("silver" is a kind of...):

gray; grayness; grey; greyness (a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black)

Derivation:

silver (turn silver)

silver (make silver in color)

silvery (of lustrous grey; covered with or tinged with the color of silver)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Silverware eating utensils

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

flatware; silver

Hypernyms ("silver" is a kind of...):

silverware (tableware made of silver or silver plate or pewter or stainless steel)

Derivation:

silver (coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A trophy made of silver (or having the appearance of silver) that is usually awarded for winning second place in a competition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

silver; silver medal

Hypernyms ("silver" is a kind of...):

prize; trophy (something given as a token of victory)

• SILVER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Made from or largely consisting of silver

Context example:

silver bracelets

Similar:

metal; metallic (containing or made of or resembling or characteristic of a metal)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Having the white lustrous sheen of silver

Synonyms:

silver; silvern; silvery

Context example:

repeated scrubbings have given the wood a silvery sheen

Similar:

bright (emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Of lustrous grey; covered with or tinged with the color of silver

Synonyms:

argent; silver; silverish; silvery

Context example:

silvery hair

Similar:

achromatic; neutral (having no hue)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

Synonyms:

eloquent; facile; fluent; silver; silver-tongued; smooth-spoken

Context example:

silver speech

Similar:

articulate (expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language)

• SILVER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they silver    ... he / she / it silvers   
Past simple: silvered   
Past participle: silvered   
-ing form: silvering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

silver the necklace

Hypernyms (to "silver" is one way to...):

plate (coat with a layer of metal)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

silver (silverware eating utensils)

silver (a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make silver in color

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Her worries had silvered her hair

Hypernyms (to "silver" is one way to...):

color; color in; colorise; colorize; colour; colour in; colourise; colourize (add color to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

silver (a light shade of grey)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Turn silver

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The man's hair silvered very attractively

Hypernyms (to "silver" is one way to...):

color; colour; discolor; discolour (change color, often in an undesired manner)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

silver (a light shade of grey)

 Context examples 

With all my heart, said Hans: but as you are so kind to me, I must tell you one thing—you will have a weary task to draw that silver about with you.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

When the Wicked Witch looked out again and saw all her crows lying in a heap, she got into a terrible rage, and blew three times upon her silver whistle.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Silver clearings and the black patches of the bushes—nothing else could I see.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The lunch looked charming, and as she surveyed it, she sincerely hoped it would taste well, and that the borrowed glass, china, and silver would get safely home again.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“The silver will be the brighter when it comes,” said I.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The researchers also used cobalt as their molecular catalyst, instead of platinum or silver.

(‘Artificial leaf’ successfully produces clean gas, University of Cambridge)

Silver trusted me; I passed my word, and back I go.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He opened the basket, and in a minute he had the table all shining with silver and glass, and studded with dainty dishes.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There is also said to be a rare silver or gray color.

(Labrador Retriever, NCI Thesaurus)

And I must cross it with silver, I suppose?

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)