Sekirov Dictionary

stifle

UK /ˈstaɪfl̩/US /ˈstaɪf(ə)l/

verb 10
noun 3
forms 5

verb10

•
To make (an animal or person) unconscious or cause (an animal or person) to die by preventing breathing; to smother, to suffocate.
- I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. — 1708
To prevent (a breath, cough, or cry, or the voice, etc.) from being released from the throat.
•
(figurative) To keep in, hold back, or repress (something).
- The army stifled the rebellion.
•
(figurative) To prevent (something) from being revealed; to conceal, to hide, to suppress.
- Atticus tried to stifle a smile but didn’t make it. — 1960
•
To cause (someone) difficulty in breathing, or a choking or gagging feeling.
- The heat was stifling the children.
•
To smother; to make breathing difficult.
- This heat is stifling.
•
To die of suffocation.
- Two firemen tragically stifled in yesterday’s fire when trying to rescue an old lady from her bedroom.
To make (something) unable to be heard by blocking it with some medium.
To cause (a dog, horse, or other four-legged mammal) to dislocate or sprain its stifle joint.
To treat (a silkworm cocoon) with steam as part of the process of silk production.

noun3

The joint between the femur and tibia in the hind leg of various four-legged mammals, especially horses, corresponding to the knee in humans.
A bone disease of this region.
(rare) An act or state of being stifled.

forms

stifled · stifling · stifles · stifleth · stiflest

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