'Stifle' definitions:
Definition of 'stifle'
(from WordNet)
noun
Joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee [syn: stifle, knee]
verb
Conceal or hide; "smother a yawn"; "muffle one's anger"; "strangle a yawn" [syn: smother, stifle, strangle, muffle, repress]
verb
verb
Impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children" [syn: suffocate, stifle, asphyxiate, choke]
verb
Be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen; "The child suffocated under the pillow" [syn: suffocate, stifle, asphyxiate]
Definition of 'Stifle'
From: GCIDE
- 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 Webster]
- Stifle bone, a small bone at the stifle joint; the patella, or kneepan. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Stifle'
From: GCIDE
- 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]
Definition of 'Stifle'
From: GCIDE
- Stifle \Sti"fle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stifling.] [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. st[imac]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]
Synonyms of 'stifle'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abate,
- allay,
- alleviate,
- asphyxiate,
- assuage,
- attemper,
- bake,
- bank the fire,
- bar,
- barricade,
- be in heat,
- black out,
- blaze,
- block,
- block up,
- blockade,
- bloom,
- blow out,
- blunt,
- boil,
- bolt,
- bottle up,
- broil,
- burke,
- burn,
- censor,
- chasten,
- check,
- chock,
- choke,
- choke off,
- clamp down on,
- close,
- close off,
- close tight,
- close up,
- combust,
- constipate,
- constrain,
- constrict,
- control,
- cook,
- cork,
- cork up,
- cover up,
- crack down on,
- crowd,
- crush,
- curb,
- damp,
- damp down,
- dampen,
- de-emphasize,
- deaden,
- debar,
- demolish,
- destroy,
- diminish,
- dog,
- douse,
- downplay,
- drown,
- dull,
- dumbfound,
- extenuate,
- extinguish,
- flame,
- flame up,
- flare,
- flare up,
- flicker,
- flush,
- fry,
- gag,
- garrote,
- gasp,
- glow,
- hold back,
- hold down,
- hold in,
- hugger-mugger,
- hush,
- hush up,
- hush-hush,
- incandesce,
- inhibit,
- jam,
- jump on,
- keep back,
- keep down,
- keep under,
- keep within bounds,
- kill,
- lay,
- lenify,
- lessen,
- lighten,
- lock,
- mitigate,
- moderate,
- modulate,
- muffle,
- mute,
- muzzle,
- obstruct,
- obtund,
- occlude,
- out,
- pack,
- palliate,
- pant,
- parch,
- play down,
- pour water on,
- prevent,
- put down,
- put out,
- put to silence,
- quash,
- quell,
- quench,
- quiet,
- quieten,
- radiate heat,
- reduce,
- reduce the temperature,
- repress,
- restrain,
- roast,
- scald,
- scorch,
- seethe,
- shimmer with heat,
- shush,
- shut down on,
- shut off,
- shut out,
- shut tight,
- silence,
- simmer,
- sit down on,
- sit on,
- slack,
- slacken,
- slow down,
- smash,
- smolder,
- smother,
- snuff,
- snuff out,
- sober,
- sober down,
- soft-pedal,
- soften,
- spark,
- squash,
- squeeze,
- squeeze shut,
- squelch,
- stagnate,
- stamp out,
- stanch,
- steam,
- stew,
- still,
- stop,
- stop the breath,
- stop up,
- strangle,
- strangulate,
- strike dumb,
- stultify,
- subdue,
- sublimate,
- suffocate,
- suppress,
- sweat,
- swelter,
- tame,
- temper,
- throttle,
- toast,
- tone down,
- trammel,
- trample out,
- trample underfoot,
- tune down,
- underplay,
- weaken,
- withhold