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stifle

1
[ stahy-fuhl ]
/ ˈstaɪ fəl /
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See synonyms for: stifle / stifled / stifling on Thesaurus.com

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.
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Origin of stifle

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Old Norse stīfla “to stop up, dam,” akin to stīfr “stiff”

OTHER WORDS FROM stifle

sti·fler, noun

Other definitions for stifle (2 of 2)

stifle2
[ stahy-fuhl ]
/ 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 < ?
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use stifle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for stifle (1 of 2)

stifle1
/ (ˈstaɪfəl) /

verb
(tr) to smother or suppressstifle 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, noun

Word Origin for stifle

C14: variant of stuflen, probably from Old French estouffer to smother

British Dictionary definitions for stifle (2 of 2)

stifle2
/ (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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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