pregnant silence

pregnant silence

A long pause in speech that indicates a lot of meaning or significance. There was a pregnant silence when the topic changed to Grandpa's will, and everyone could tell that something shocking was about to be revealed. The most telling part of his speech was the pregnant silence before he denied any wrongdoing.
See also: pregnant, silence
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a pregnant ˈpause/ˈsilence

a pause/silence in which everyone is waiting or listening for something, or a moment of silence which is full of meaning: There was a pregnant pause while everyone waited to hear what she had to say.
See also: pause, pregnant, silence
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a pregnant pause
  • a pregnant pause/silence
  • pregnant
  • pregnant pause
  • pregnant with (something)
  • here we go
  • mess about
  • mess about with (someone or something)
  • mess about with someone
  • fiddle with (something)
References in periodicals archive
BNP, whose many top leaders appear to be in the soup over some surprises within the party fold, however, kept a pregnant silence. ''Or is it a foregone conclusion from BNP's side?'' Some of political analysts put such rhetorical question on the fate of the 20-party conglomerate.
There's a pregnant silence in the atmosphere between us.
It is from this pregnant silence and the womb of darkness that the world enlightening thinkers, intellectuals, philosophers, scientists, spiritual leaders, and authors have emerged.
But there's a pregnant silence when people discuss peace and order in the city.
After a pregnant silence, three-yearold Tyler Morgan smiled and conceded a "yes" with a nod.
His services to society notwithstanding, the state and central health authorities have maintained a pregnant silence on his endeavours so far, especially on his pleas to enforce a blanket ban on all kinds of sex determination tests.
THE FRENZY of the longest and hardest poll campaign ever gave way to a pregnant silence on the eve of verdict day.
You'll get a pregnant silence with much head scratching.
25, 2012) As the world marks the International Day to End Violence Against Women, rights group Tanggol Bayi criticized the "deafening but pregnant silence" of President Benigno Aquino III on violations committed against female human rights defenders.
The pregnant silence on the subject of nationalisation (while possibly designed to put pressure on banks to lend) led to fears of further dilutive equity injections at a time when private capital lacked the confidence to invest.
There was a pregnant silence, then a sigh fell from Cathy lips.
After about 30 agonising seconds of pregnant silence Nargis shot back with her brilliant response: "Could you repeat the question?"
Readers of Wordsworth need to be aware, first of all, of the nature of solitude and its psychological and human ecological effects: not only the solitude and pregnant silence of an empty church or deserted building, but solitude in the midst of wind or rain or the movement of nature.
As Hugh sat hunched like an errant schoolboy, his interrogator allowed a long, pregnant silence before shaking his head and saying, "Just what the hell were you thinking?"
You could sit in pregnant silence before the Blessed Sacrament, keeping the holy hour that Peter, James, and John were unable to keep.