Two-minute Silence
Preserved but no longer current.
A cessation of traffic and all other activities for two minutes at 11 a.m. on November llth, to commemorate those who died in World War I. It was first observed in 1919 and discontinued in 1947 when the day was named Remembrance Day in memory of the fallen in both "World Wars, and observed on the Sunday preceding November llth.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Two-minute Silence” mean?
A cessation of traffic and all other activities for two minutes at 11 a.m. on November llth, to commemorate those who died in World War I. It was first observed in 1919 and discontinued in 1947 when the day was named Remembrance Day in memory of the fallen in both "World Wars, and observed on the Sunday preceding November llth.
Is “Two-minute Silence” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.