stifle

Definitions

1. 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. Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies. Dryden. I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. Swift.
2. 2.To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame. Bodies . . . stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. Sir I. Newton.
3. 3.To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion. I desire only to have things fairly represented as they really are; no evidence smothered or stifled. Waterland.
4. 4.To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. You shall stifle in your own report. Shak.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "stifle" mean?
• What is another word for "stifle"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is stifle.

• What is to stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame. Bodies . . . stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. Sir I. Newton called?
• What is to die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. You shall stifle in your own report. Shak called?