Stifle

Stifle
Stifle Sti"fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stifled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Stifling}.] [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. st[=i]fla to dam up.] 1. 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. [1913 Webster]

Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

2. To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame. [1913 Webster]

Bodies . . . stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. --Sir I. Newton. [1913 Webster]

3. To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion. [1913 Webster]

I desire only to have things fairly represented as they really are; no evidence smothered or stifled. --Waterland. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Stifle — can mean: * To suffocate * To prevent from speaking or to prevent a view being heard. See free speech, gag and gagging.A stifle is also the name for an animal s knee joint. See stifle joint.* Stifle yourself, or simply Stifle! was a frequent… …   Wikipedia

  • Stifle — Sti fle, n. [From {Stiff}.] (Far.) 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}. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stifle — stifle1 [stī′fəl] vt. stifled, stifling [altered (prob. infl. by ON stīfla, to stop up: for IE base see STIFF) < ME stuflen, freq. formation < MFr estouffer, to smother < VL * stuppare, to stuff up (see STOP), infl. by * extufare, to… …   English World dictionary

  • Stifle — Sti fle, v. i. To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. [1913 Webster] You shall stifle in your own report. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • stifle — (v.) late 14c., to choke, suffocate, drown, of uncertain origin, possibly an alteration of O.Fr. estouffer to stifle, smother, which may be from a Germanic source (Cf. O.H.G. stopfon to plug up, stuff ). Metaphoric sense is from 1570s. Related:… …   Etymology dictionary

  • štifle — štìfle ž mn <G mn štíflā/ ī> DEFINICIJA reg. zast. čizme [obuti/izuti štifle] ETIMOLOGIJA njem. Stiefel …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • stifle — ► VERB 1) prevent from breathing freely; suffocate. 2) smother or suppress. 3) prevent or constrain (an activity or idea). ORIGIN perhaps from Old French estouffer smother, stifle …   English terms dictionary

  • stifle — I verb annihilate, arrest, balk, bar, block, check, choke, conceal, constrain, contain, control, crush, damp, deaden, destroy, drown, dull, extinguish, frustrate, gag, hush, inhibit, kill, mask, muffle, mute, muzzle, obstruct, opprimere, prevent …   Law dictionary

  • ştifle — ştífle s.f. pl. (înv. şi reg.) cizme; ghete. Trimis de blaurb, 21.02.2007. Sursa: DAR …   Dicționar Român

  • stifle — *suffocate, asphyxiate, smother, choke, strangle, throttle …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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