silver Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun 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
    atomic number 47; Ag.
  2. noun coins made of silver
  3. noun a light shade of grey
    silver gray; ash grey; silver grey; ash gray.
  4. noun silverware eating utensils
    flatware.
  5. noun a trophy made of silver (or having the appearance of silver) that is usually awarded for winning second place in a competition
    silver medal.
  6. verb coat with a layer of silver or a silver amalgam
    • silver the necklace
  7. verb make silver in color
    • Her worries had silvered her hair
  8. verb turn silver
    • The man's hair silvered very attractively
  9. adjective satellite made from or largely consisting of silver
    • silver bracelets
  10. adjective satellite having the white lustrous sheen of silver
    silvern; silvery.
    • a land of silver (or silvern) rivers where the salmon leap
    • repeated scrubbings have given the wood a silvery sheen
  11. adjective satellite of lustrous grey; covered with or tinged with the color of silver
    silverish; silvery; argent.
    • silvery hair
  12. adjective satellite expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
    silver-tongued; facile; eloquent; fluent; smooth-spoken.
    • able to dazzle with his facile tongue
    • silver speech

WordNet

Sil"ver noun
Etymology
OE. silver, selver, seolver, AS. seolfor, siolfur, siolufr, silofr, sylofr; akin to OS. silubar, OFries. selover, D. zilver, LG. sulver, OHG. silabar, silbar, G. silber, Icel. silfr, Sw. silfver, Dan. sölv, Goth. silubr, Russ. serebro, Lith. sidabras; of unknown origin.
Definitions
  1. (Chem.) A soft white metallic element, sonorous, ductile, very malleable, and capable of a high degree of polish. It is found native, and also combined with sulphur, arsenic, antimony, chlorine, etc., in the minerals argentite, proustite, pyrargyrite, ceragyrite, etc. Silver is one of the "noble" metals, so-called, not being easily oxidized, and is used for coin, jewelry, plate, and a great variety of articles. Symbol Ag (Argentum). Atomic weight 107.7. Specific gravity 10.5. ✍ Silver was known under the name of luna to the ancients and also to the alchemists. Some of its compounds, as the halogen salts, are remarkable for the effect of light upon them, and are used in photography.
  2. Coin made of silver; silver money.
  3. Anything having the luster or appearance of silver.
  4. The color of silver. ✍ Silver is used in the formation of many compounds of obvious meaning; as, silver-armed, silver-bright, silver-buskined, silver-coated, silver-footed, silver-haired, silver-headed, silver-mantled, silver-plated, silver-slippered, silver-sounding, silver-studded, silver-tongued, silver-white. See Silver, a.
Sil"ver adjective
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to silver; made of silver; as, silver leaf; a silver cup.
  2. Resembling silver. Specifically: (a) Bright; resplendent; white. "Silver hair." Shak.
    Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed Their downy breast. Milton.
    (b) Precious; costly. (c) Giving a clear, ringing sound soft and clear. "Silver voices." Spenser. (d) Sweet; gentle; peaceful. "Silver slumber." Spenser.
Sil"ver transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Silvered ; present participle & verbal noun Silvering
Definitions
  1. To cover with silver; to give a silvery appearance to by applying a metal of a silvery color; as, to silver a pin; to silver a glass mirror plate with an amalgam of tin and mercury.
  2. To polish like silver; to impart a brightness to, like that of silver.
    And smiling calmness silvered o'er the deep. Pope.
  3. To make hoary, or white, like silver.
    His head was silvered o'er with age. Gay.
Sil"ver intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To acquire a silvery color. R.
    The eastern sky began to silver and shine. L. Wallace.

Webster 1913