Someone on another board posted this question. I know there’s an answer, but I can’t come up with it. Maybe I’ll manage after the coffee kicks in. But for now, I appeal to the SD experts.
“Yesterday I was at a party here in Provence (where I live) and someone asked if there was an equivalent English expression for the French “un ange passé” (an angel passed by) used for when everyone is dining at a table together and suddenly they all fall silent. I couldn’t think of one–can any of you?”
I had one group of friends, where someone would jump in and say “Lull…”, but I haven’t heard that as a general thing.
By definition, nothing.
Yeah, I kinda walked right into that one. 
“Who farted?”
Damnit! Ninja’d
I’d never think of saying anything. My culture (White American, middle-class, English-speaking) doesn’t do that.
This never happens at all in my culture because nobody ever shuts up.
Can’t think of an equivalent - closest thing would be some wag always asking if it’s 20 to or after the hour.
I remember that. It was a truism when I was a teenager back in the 70s.
Someone said it was because Lincoln died at 20 after the hour. (Yes, I know, that’s obviously nonsense. I wish I could use being children as an excuse for even considering it, but we were probably 12–15 at the time.)
I usually point it out by saying aloud “awkward silence”.
“18 minute gap” since for a while it would happen around 18 minutes into our group dinners in college. As the pause lengthened a bit someone would say that and the conversation would start right back up.
“Anyone?”
(Now the group is thinking, “Wait, did he just ask a question? Dammit! Did I zone out again!”)
It happens constantly in our (western Anglo) culture most often, I think, when everyone starts eating seriously after table talk before hand, and someone has to say, “it must be really good,” because of an “embarrassing” silence.
I never liked it, because it interrupts and is unnecessary.
It would be interesting to learn the history of that expression within your group of friends. I’d guess that someone initially coined it in reference to Rose Mary Woods’ famous 18 minute gap, and at some point that reference was forgotten and a new “explanation” was coined, referring to the time at which it happened in your group.
–Mark
No, it was a direct reference to Rosemary Woods, everyone knew exactly where it came from. This was the early 80’s.
“Not enough booze”
I don’t say anything.
“Beuller? … Bueller?”
There is a German term specifically for the silence that may occur when everyone is busy tucking in: gefräßiges Schweigen (voracious silence). I have encountered that situation:
everyone is eating
someone comments on that: Gefräßiges Schweigen.
everyone smiles and nods, someone else may comment on the tastiness of the food
either conversation resumes, or everyone goes back to the serious business of eating.