strangle
[strang-guh l]
- to kill by squeezing the throat in order to compress the windpipe and prevent the intake of air, as with the hands or a tightly drawn cord.
- to kill by stopping the breath in any manner; choke; stifle; suffocate.
- to prevent the continuance, growth, rise, or action of; suppress: Censorship strangles a free press.
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- to be choked, stifled, or suffocated.
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Origin of strangle
1250–1300; Middle English strangelen < Old French estrangler < Latin strangulāre < Greek strangalân, derivative of strangálē halter, akin to strangós twisted
Synonyms
See more synonyms for strangle on Thesaurus.com1. garrote, throttle, choke. 2. smother. 3. check, repress, gag, muzzle.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for strangle
Contemporary Examples
As you can see on your screens, this young soldier is trying to strangle me with the barrel of his carbine.
If he refuses to strangle his own baby in the crib, Republicans are happy to retaliate.
They drove to his home in South Los Angeles and had sex but shortly thereafter, he attempted to strangle her with a shoelace.
Los Angeles Police Pin Old Murders of Three Women on Dead Serial KillerChristine Pelisek
August 3, 2012
Bulger attempted to strangle McIntyre with a rope and, when that failed, he shot McIntyre in the head multiple times.
"Mark tried to strangle me last night," my friend blurted out.
Historical Examples
Can he compass his spirit with meekness, and strangle a natural oath?
Farm BalladsWill Carleton
Also the camel-goose might fling his neck about the villain, and strangle him.
He said to himself that he would be able to strangle the Rougons alone if he could ever get them into a corner.
The Fortune of the RougonsEmile Zola
Seeing how difficult he proved to strangle, they must have cursed that amulet of his.
The Historical Nights' EntertainmentRafael Sabatini
A sudden thought seemed to strangle her, and she called no more.
Tales of UnrestJoseph Conrad
strangle
- (tr) to kill by compressing the windpipe; throttle
- (tr) to prevent or inhibit the growth or development ofto strangle originality
- (tr) to suppress (an utterance) by or as if by swallowing suddenlyto strangle a cry
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See also strangles
Word Origin
C13: via Old French, ultimately from Greek strangalē a halter
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
Word Origin and History for strangle
v.
c.1300, from Old French estrangler, from Latin strangulare "to choke, stifle, check, constrain," from Greek strangalan "choke, twist," from strangale "a halter, cord, lace," related to strangos "twisted," from PIE root *strenk- "tight, narrow; pull tight, twist" (see strain (v.)). Related: Strangled; strangling.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
strangle
(străng′gəl)- To compress the trachea so as to prevent sufficient passage of air; suffocate.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.