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stifle - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'stifle' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Stifle [ n.]
- The joint next above the hock, and near the flank, in the hind leg of the horse and allied animals; the joint corresponding to the knee in man; -- called also stifle joint. See Illust. under Horse.
2 . Stifle [ v. i.]
- To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration.
3 . Stifle [ v. t.]
- To stop the breath of by crowding something into the windpipe, or introducing an irrespirable substance into the lungs; to choke; to suffocate; to cause the death of by such means; as, to stifle one with smoke or dust.
- To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame.
- To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion.

Meaning of 'stifle' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . stifle [ v]
Meaning (1):
- suppress in order to conceal or hide
Example in sentence:
  • muffle one's anger;
  • repress a cry of fear;
  • smother a yawn;
  • strangle a laugh
Meaning (2):
- suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity
Example in sentence:
  • Stifle your curiosity
Meaning (3):
- be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
Example in sentence:
  • The child suffocated under the pillow
Meaning (4):
- impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of
Example in sentence:
  • The foul air was slowly suffocating the children

Nearby Words:

stiacciato stian stibborn stibial stibialism stibiated stibic stibiconite stibine stibious

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