awkward pause; dead air; empty house
Meanings
3 senses · 6 examplesverb
(of a performance) to come to an awkward halt; dead air due to forgotten lines or late actors
Refers specifically to disruptions in live performances such as theater, xiangsheng, or other stage shows.
The lead actor suddenly forgot his lines, and an awkward silence fell over the stage.
Due to the main actor being late, the evening gala had nearly twenty minutes of dead air.
verb
(of a meeting) to fall into an awkward silence; to have no one speak
Commonly used to describe embarrassing silences in meetings, classes, or Q&A sessions when no one responds.
After the moderator asked the question, the room fell into an awkward silence for several seconds.
Everyone kept their heads down, afraid of being called on, causing the meeting to fall into an awkward silence at one point.
verb
(of a show or game) to play to an empty house; to have very few spectators
Describes poor attendance at concerts, sports events, or theatrical performances.
This match played to a virtually empty house due to the heavy rain, with almost no one in the stands.
Due to a lack of publicity, that concert was completely empty.