See Silent Sam in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "From silent (“speechless, mute”) + Sam (“diminutive of male given name Samuel”). From ante 1920.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "Silent Sams",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"head": "Silent Sam"
},
"expansion": "Silent Sam (plural Silent Sams)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "47 0 53",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "People",
"orig": "en:People",
"parents": [
"Human",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1983 Mar, “Sam Pierce Hangs Tough”, in Black Enterprise, volume 13, number 8, page 43:",
"text": "But because Pierce has usually avoided the news media and gone about his work in the quiet behind-the-scenes way that brought him eminence as a top New York City litigator, the press has derisively tagged him \"Silent Sam.\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Jack Womack, Going, Going, Gone, →ISBN, page 47:",
"text": "Now he threw the Silent Sam treatment on me.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Sara Pope, Team Leader Workbook, →ISBN, pages 4–31:",
"text": "It's hard to get input from the Silent Sam even with a direct question—this person just doesn't have anything to say.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2011, Linda Carter Sobell, Mark B. Sobell, Group Therapy for Substance Use Disorders, →ISBN, page 205:",
"text": "With Silent Sam clients it is important for group leaders to make active and continuous efforts to get them involved in the group.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A person who seldom or never speaks; a taciturn or unresponsive individual."
],
"id": "en-Silent_Sam-en-noun-xN38rNGD",
"links": [
[
"attributive",
"attributive"
],
[
"seldom",
"seldom"
],
[
"never",
"never"
],
[
"taciturn",
"taciturn"
],
[
"unresponsive",
"unresponsive"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, sometimes used attributively) A person who seldom or never speaks; a taciturn or unresponsive individual."
],
"tags": [
"attributive",
"informal",
"sometimes"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "95 2 4",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "person who speaks seldom and little",
"word": "tuppisuu"
},
{
"_dis1": "95 2 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "person who speaks seldom and little",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "milczek"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1919, Victor Appleton, chapter 17, in Tom Swift and His Air Scout:",
"text": "\"I've named my new noiseless aeroplane—Army Air Scout—I've named that Silent Sam. Wait until you hear it, or rather, don't hear it, and I think you'll agree with me. Silent Sam for Uncle Sam!\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1977 July, Richard West, “Reporter: Law and Order”, in Texas Monthly, volume 5, number 7, page 64:",
"text": "Or if you're a coward, there's Silent Sam ($1950), an automated early-warning safety robot flagman.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A machine, device, etc. which operates without making noticeable sound."
],
"id": "en-Silent_Sam-en-noun-UUxcbCb-",
"links": [
[
"noticeable",
"noticeable"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, by extension) A machine, device, etc. which operates without making noticeable sound."
],
"tags": [
"broadly",
"informal"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "13 31 56",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 23 66",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 30 60",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "6 30 64",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "18 18 64",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "18 17 65",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "4 5 92",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Alcoholic beverages",
"orig": "en:Alcoholic beverages",
"parents": [
"Beverages",
"Recreational drugs",
"Drinking",
"Food and drink",
"Liquids",
"Drugs",
"Human behaviour",
"All topics",
"Matter",
"Pharmacology",
"Human",
"Fundamental",
"Chemistry",
"Nature",
"Biochemistry",
"Medicine",
"Sciences",
"Biology",
"Healthcare",
"Health",
"Body"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "47 0 53",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "People",
"orig": "en:People",
"parents": [
"Human",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 7 67",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Personality",
"orig": "en:Personality",
"parents": [
"Mind",
"Human",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2010, “Silent Sam Mix Cocktail Recipe”, in www.1001cocktails.com, retrieved 2011-04-20:",
"text": "Ingredients: 13 oz vodka, 1 liter cola, (pepsi, coca cola...), 6-10 scoops iced tea. . . . Add all ingredients to a punch bowl.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A mixed alcoholic beverage, usually containing vodka, a cola soft drink, and other ingredients."
],
"id": "en-Silent_Sam-en-noun-FD~3Wv3n",
"links": [
[
"alcoholic",
"alcoholic"
],
[
"beverage",
"beverage"
],
[
"vodka",
"vodka"
],
[
"cola",
"cola"
],
[
"soft drink",
"soft drink"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) A mixed alcoholic beverage, usually containing vodka, a cola soft drink, and other ingredients."
],
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "Alibi Ike"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "Dapper Dan"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "dismal Dora"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "doubting Thomas"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "dreamy Daniel"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "fancy Dan"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "Gentleman Jim"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "gloomy Gus"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "good-time Charlie"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "lazy Lawrence"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "nervous Nellie"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "nervous Purvis"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "plain Jane"
},
{
"_dis1": "7 18 76",
"word": "sneaky Pete"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"_dis1": "13 37 50",
"word": "silent Sam"
}
],
"tags": [
"informal"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˌsaɪlənt ˈsæm/"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-Silent Sam.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9a/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg"
}
],
"word": "Silent Sam"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English nouns",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"en:Alcoholic beverages",
"en:People",
"en:Personality"
],
"etymology_text": "From silent (“speechless, mute”) + Sam (“diminutive of male given name Samuel”). From ante 1920.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "Silent Sams",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"head": "Silent Sam"
},
"expansion": "Silent Sam (plural Silent Sams)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"related": [
{
"word": "Alibi Ike"
},
{
"word": "Dapper Dan"
},
{
"word": "dismal Dora"
},
{
"word": "doubting Thomas"
},
{
"word": "dreamy Daniel"
},
{
"word": "fancy Dan"
},
{
"word": "Gentleman Jim"
},
{
"word": "gloomy Gus"
},
{
"word": "good-time Charlie"
},
{
"word": "lazy Lawrence"
},
{
"word": "nervous Nellie"
},
{
"word": "nervous Purvis"
},
{
"word": "plain Jane"
},
{
"word": "sneaky Pete"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1983 Mar, “Sam Pierce Hangs Tough”, in Black Enterprise, volume 13, number 8, page 43:",
"text": "But because Pierce has usually avoided the news media and gone about his work in the quiet behind-the-scenes way that brought him eminence as a top New York City litigator, the press has derisively tagged him \"Silent Sam.\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2002, Jack Womack, Going, Going, Gone, →ISBN, page 47:",
"text": "Now he threw the Silent Sam treatment on me.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2008, Sara Pope, Team Leader Workbook, →ISBN, pages 4–31:",
"text": "It's hard to get input from the Silent Sam even with a direct question—this person just doesn't have anything to say.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2011, Linda Carter Sobell, Mark B. Sobell, Group Therapy for Substance Use Disorders, →ISBN, page 205:",
"text": "With Silent Sam clients it is important for group leaders to make active and continuous efforts to get them involved in the group.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A person who seldom or never speaks; a taciturn or unresponsive individual."
],
"links": [
[
"attributive",
"attributive"
],
[
"seldom",
"seldom"
],
[
"never",
"never"
],
[
"taciturn",
"taciturn"
],
[
"unresponsive",
"unresponsive"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, sometimes used attributively) A person who seldom or never speaks; a taciturn or unresponsive individual."
],
"tags": [
"attributive",
"informal",
"sometimes"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1919, Victor Appleton, chapter 17, in Tom Swift and His Air Scout:",
"text": "\"I've named my new noiseless aeroplane—Army Air Scout—I've named that Silent Sam. Wait until you hear it, or rather, don't hear it, and I think you'll agree with me. Silent Sam for Uncle Sam!\"",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1977 July, Richard West, “Reporter: Law and Order”, in Texas Monthly, volume 5, number 7, page 64:",
"text": "Or if you're a coward, there's Silent Sam ($1950), an automated early-warning safety robot flagman.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A machine, device, etc. which operates without making noticeable sound."
],
"links": [
[
"noticeable",
"noticeable"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, by extension) A machine, device, etc. which operates without making noticeable sound."
],
"tags": [
"broadly",
"informal"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2010, “Silent Sam Mix Cocktail Recipe”, in www.1001cocktails.com, retrieved 2011-04-20:",
"text": "Ingredients: 13 oz vodka, 1 liter cola, (pepsi, coca cola...), 6-10 scoops iced tea. . . . Add all ingredients to a punch bowl.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A mixed alcoholic beverage, usually containing vodka, a cola soft drink, and other ingredients."
],
"links": [
[
"alcoholic",
"alcoholic"
],
[
"beverage",
"beverage"
],
[
"vodka",
"vodka"
],
[
"cola",
"cola"
],
[
"soft drink",
"soft drink"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal) A mixed alcoholic beverage, usually containing vodka, a cola soft drink, and other ingredients."
],
"tags": [
"informal"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˌsaɪlənt ˈsæm/"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-Silent Sam.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9a/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/En-au-Silent_Sam.ogg"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "silent Sam"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "person who speaks seldom and little",
"word": "tuppisuu"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "person who speaks seldom and little",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "milczek"
}
],
"word": "Silent Sam"
}
Download raw JSONL data for Silent Sam meaning in English (4.9kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.