stifle
1
[ stahy-fuhl ]
/ ˈstaɪ fəl /
verb (used with object), sti·fled, sti·fling.
to quell, crush, or end by force: to stifle a revolt; to stifle free expression.
to suppress, curb, or withhold: to stifle a yawn.
to kill by impeding respiration; smother.
verb (used without object), sti·fled, sti·fling.
to suffer from difficulty in breathing, as in a close atmosphere.
to become stifled or suffocated.
Origin of stifle
1
1350–1400; Middle English < Old Norse
stīfla to stop up, dam, akin to
stīfr stiff
SYNONYMS FOR stifle
OTHER WORDS FROM stifle
sti·fler, noun un·sti·fled, adjectiveWords nearby stifle
stiff-man syndrome,
stiff-necked,
stiffen,
stiffener,
stiffy,
stifle,
stifling,
stigma,
stigmasterol,
stigmatic,
stigmatism
Definition for stifle (2 of 2)
stifle
2
[ stahy-fuh l ]
/ ˈstaɪ fəl /
noun
(in a horse or other quadruped) the joint between the femur and the tibia, corresponding anatomically to the human knee.
Also called
stifle joint.
Origin of stifle
2
1275–1325; Middle English < ?
Example sentences from the Web for stifle
British Dictionary definitions for stifle (1 of 2)
stifle
1
/ (ˈstaɪfəl) /
verb
(tr)
to smother or suppress
stifle a cough
to feel or cause to feel discomfort and difficulty in breathing
to prevent or be prevented from breathing so as to cause death
(tr)
to crush or stamp out
Derived forms of stifle
stifler, nounWord Origin for stifle
C14: variant of
stuflen, probably from Old French
estouffer to smother
British Dictionary definitions for stifle (2 of 2)
stifle
2
/ (ˈstaɪfəl) /
noun
the joint in the hind leg of a horse, dog, etc, between the femur and tibia
Word Origin for stifle
C14: of unknown origin