Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - silver

~1 n 1 a shiny, whitish, valuable metal that is used to make jewellery, knives, coins etc, and is a chemical element 2 spoons, forks, dishes etc that are made of silver or a similar metal  (As kitchen-maid, it was my job to polish the silver.) 3 the colour of silver 4 informal a silver medal 5 BrE old-fashioned coins that are made partly or completely of silver  (- see also be born with a silver spoon in your mouth born2 (11), every cloud has a silver lining cloud1 (7)) ~2 adj 1 made of silver  (a silver teapot) 2 coloured silver  (a silver Mercedes) ~3 v technical to cover a surface with a thin shiny silver coloured surface in order to make a mirror