Definition of "speechlessness"

'No - rather not, my dear? Well, another night,' he said, hastily translating her speechlessness.

1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 233

It was her virtue to be tall, pale, characterless and effaced by partial speechlessness.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, page 16