Definitions
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The state or character of being taciturn; paucity of speech; disinclination to talk.
- n. In Scots law, a mode of extinguishing an obligation (in a shorter period than by the forty years' prescription) by the silence of the creditor, and the presumption that, in the relative situations of himself and the debtor, he would not have been so long silent had not the obligation been satisfied.
Wiktionary
- n. The trait of being taciturn.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Habitual silence, or reserve in speaking.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary
Examples
“Bersonin, who despite his taciturnity was a patient teacher, instructed me in Danish, but possibly because he himself only spoke it at second hand, I didn't take to it easily.”
Royal Flash
“In the West, his reserve with men had been labelled taciturnity or swollen-headeduess, which did not fit the case at all; whilst, in spite of his perfect manner towards them, his indifference to woman _en masse_ or in the individual was supreme and sincere.”
“At first both were silent, for Lord Ulswater used the ordinary privilege of a lover and was absent and absorbed, and his companion was never the first to break a taciturnity natural to his habits.”
“They said that as their longer "taciturnity" might cause the ruin of his Majesty's affairs, they were at last compelled to break silence.”
“Sensible of his father's humble, but yet respectable position, he neither attempted to swagger himself into importance by an affectation of superior breeding or contempt for his parent, nor did he manifest any of that sullen taciturnity which is frequently preserved, as a proof of superiority, or a mask for conscious ignorance and bad breeding; the fact being generally forgotten that it is an exponent of both.”
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain The Works of William Carleton, Volume One
“Soon they were all talking at once, rumbling and roaring as big - chested open-air men will, when whisky has whipped their taciturnity.”
“Old-fashioned, uncomplaining male taciturnity—a quality Walsh shared with many directors of his era—is not something Ms. Moss easily grasps.”
“Whereas, on Monday afternoon an elderly gentleman remarkable for taciturnity and an unaltered countenance, accompanied his friend from the City to the West end of the town, and have not since been heard of.”
“Though his volatile nature loved geniality and play of words and laughter, he quickly accommodated himself to Uri's taciturnity.”
“One President who admirably combined taciturnity and veracity was Calvin Coolidge, that unobtrusive and so underrated man.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘taciturnity’.
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Jeeves and Wooster - Jeeves
"Jeevesisms" as heard from the valet Jeeves in P.G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves and Wooster" stories.
temptations of a ..., with due expediency, outspoken disposi..., spring unbidden t..., simplicity of genius, natural gratifica..., under the delusion, warmly ensconced, merry mélange, opprobrious remark, respectable woman, taciturnity and 46 more...
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