stifle

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: sti=fle

CIDE DICTIONARY

stifle, n. [From Stiff.].

 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.

stifle, v. t. [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. stīfla to dam up.].

•  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."  [1913 Webster]

  "I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]
•  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."  [1913 Webster]

stifle, 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."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stifle, v.
1 tr. smother, suppress (stifled a yawn).
2 intr. & tr. experience or cause to experience constraint of breathing (stifling heat).
3 tr. kill by suffocating.

Derivative

stifler n. stiflingly adv.

stifle, n. (in full stifle-joint) a joint in the legs of horses, dogs, etc., equivalent to the knee in humans.

Idiom

stifle-bone the bone in front of this joint.

Etymology

ME: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

stifle

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

ROGET THESAURUS

stifle

Killing

VB kill, put to death, slay, shed blood, murder, assassinate, butcher, slaughter, victimize, immolate, massacre, take away life, deprive of life, make away with, put an end to, despatch, dispatch, burke, settle, do for, strangle, garrote, hang, throttle, choke, stifle, suffocate, stop the breath, smother, asphyxiate, drown, saber, cut down, cut to pieces, cut the throat, jugulate, stab, run through the body, bayonet, eviscerate, put to the sword, put to the edge of the sword, shoot dead, blow one's brains out, brain, knock on the head, stone, lapidate, give a deathblow, deal a deathblow, give a quietus, give a coupe de grace, behead, bowstring, electrocute, gas, hunt, shoot, cut off, nip in the bud, launch into eternity, send to one's last account, sign one's death warrant, strike the death knell of, give no quarter, pour out blood like water, decimate, run amuck, wade knee deep in blood, imbrue one's hands in blood, die a violent death, welter in one's blood, dash out one's brains, blow out one's brains, commit suicide, kill oneself, make away with oneself, put an end to oneself, put an end to it all.

Silence

VB be silent, hold one's tongue, render silent, silence, still, hush, stifle, muffle, stop, muzzle, put to silence.

Concealment

VB conceal, hide, secrete, put out of sight, lock up, seal up, bottle up, encrypt, encode, cipher, cover, screen, cloak, veil, shroud, cover up one's tracks, screen from sight, screen from observation, drawing the veil, draw the curtain, close the curtain, curtain, shade, eclipse, throw a view over, be cloud, be mask, mask, disguise, ensconce, muffle, smother, befog, whisper, keep from, keep back, keep to oneself, keep snug, keep close, keep secret, keep dark, bury, sink, suppress, keep from, keep from out of view, keep from out of sight, keep in the shade, throw into the shade, throw into background, stifle, hush up, smother, withhold, reserve, fence with a question, ignore, keep a secret, keep one's own counsel, hold one's tongue, make no sign, not let it go further, not breathe a word, not breathe a syllable about, not let the right hand know what the left is doing, hide one's light under a bushel, bury one's talent in a napkin, keep in the dark, leave in the dark, keep in the ignorance, blind, blind the eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, mystify, puzzle, bamboozle, be concealed, suffer an eclipse, retire from sight, couch, hide oneself, lie hid, lie in perdu, lie in close, lie in ambush (ambush), seclude oneself, lurk, sneak, skulk, slink, prowl, steal into, steal out of, steal by, steal along, play at bopeep, play at hide and seek, hide in holes and corners, still hunt.