Stifling

Stifling
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:

  • stifling — index censorship, deadly, disadvantage, oppressive Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • stifling — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ unpleasantly hot and stuffy. DERIVATIVES stiflingly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • stifling — [stī′fliŋ] adj. so close as to be oppressive; suffocating stiflingly adv …   English World dictionary

  • stifling — sti|fling [ staıflıŋ ] adjective 1. ) heat or a room that is stifling is so hot that it is difficult for you to breathe: the stifling heat of a summer s day The hotel lobby was stifling. 2. ) air or a smell that is stifling makes it difficult for …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • stifling — UK [ˈstaɪf(ə)lɪŋ] / US adjective 1) heat or a room that is stifling is so hot that it is difficult for you to breathe the stifling heat of a midsummer s day The hotel lobby was stifling. 2) air or a smell that is stifling makes it difficult for… …   English dictionary

  • stifling — [[t]sta͟ɪfəlɪŋ[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED Stifling heat is so intense that it makes you feel uncomfortable. You can also use stifling to describe a place that is extremely hot. The stifling heat of the little room was beginning to make me nauseous. Syn:… …   English dictionary

  • stifling — stif|ling [ˈstaıflıŋ] adj 1.) a room or weather that is stifling is very hot and uncomfortable, so that it seems difficult to breathe ▪ a stifling, crowded train ▪ the stifling heat of the tropics 2.) a situation that is stifling stops you from… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • stifling — adjective 1 a room or weather that is stifling is very hot and difficult to breathe in: a stifling, crowded carriage 2 a situation that is stifling stops you from developing your own ideas and character: the stifling atmosphere of the court …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • stifling — I noun forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority the suppression of heresy the quelling of the rebellion the stifling of all dissent • Syn: ↑suppression, ↑crushing, ↑quelling …   Useful english dictionary

  • stifling — stiflingly, adv. /stuy fling/, adj. suffocating; oppressively close: the stifling atmosphere of the cavern. [1550 60; STIFLE1 + ING2] * * * …   Universalium

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