stillness
/'stilnis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A state of complete absence of motion or movement: The quality or condition of being completely still, without any physical activity or change in position.
- A state of calmness and quiet, especially without wind: A condition of atmospheric tranquility and lack of disturbance.
- (Literary/Poetic) A profound and peaceful silence: A deep, quiet, and often serene absence of sound.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The stillness of the lake at dawn was breathtaking. (The complete lack of movement on the lake's surface was beautiful.)
- A deep stillness settled over the forest as the snow began to fall. (A quiet calm without wind enveloped the forest.)
- He loved the stillness of the early morning hours. (He loved the profound, peaceful quiet of the early morning.)
Advanced Usage
- "The stillness of death": An idiom describing an absolute, eerie, and often frightening absence of movement or sound.
- After the explosion, a terrible stillness of death fell over the battlefield.
- "To break the stillness": To disrupt a quiet or motionless state.
- A single birdcall broke the stillness of the valley.
Variants and Related Words
- Still (adj/adv/verb/noun): The root word. As an adjective, it means not moving or making a sound. As a noun (often "the still"), it can refer to a quiet period, similar to stillness.
- Please stand still. (adj)
- the still of the night (noun)
- Motionlessness (n): A close synonym emphasizing the lack of movement.
- Tranquility (n): A state of peace and calm, which often includes stillness.
- Serenity (n): The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled; akin to a mental or emotional stillness.
Synonyms
- Calm: Freedom from agitation or excitement.
- Quiet: Absence of noise or disturbance.
- Peace: A state of tranquility or quiet.
- Hush: A sudden or profound silence.
- Lull: A temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.
Antonyms
- Motion: The action or process of moving.
- Movement: An act of changing physical location or position.
- Noise: A sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance.
- Turbulence: Violent or unsteady movement of air or water, or of some other fluid.
- Commotion: A state of confused and noisy disturbance.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- In the stillness of the night/morning: During the quiet, peaceful hours of night or early morning.
- She often wrote her poetry in the stillness of the night.
- An uneasy stillness: A quiet that feels tense or ominous, as if preceding an event.
- An uneasy stillness hung in the air before the storm hit.
Noun
- a state of no motion or movement
- the utter motionlessness of a marble statue
- calmness without winds
- (poetic) tranquil silence
- the still of the night