hear a pin drop, can

could hear a pin drop

Could hear nothing at all because it was completely quiet and still. After the boss's outburst, the meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Waiting to see what happened next in the play, everyone in the audience stayed so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
See also: could, drop, hear, pin
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hear a pin drop, can

Be able to hear even the smallest noise because of the quiet, as in When he came onstage you could have heard a pin drop. This hyperbolic expression dates from the early 1800s.
See also: can, hear, pin
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
See also:
  • could hear a pin drop
  • you could have heard a pin drop
  • you could hear a pin drop
  • you could hear the grass grow(ing)
  • curse (someone) under (one's) breath
  • hear from
  • hear from (one)
  • mutter
  • mutter (something) under (one's) breath
  • fancy that