DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Sti·fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stifled p. pr. & vb. n. Stifling ]
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.
Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies. --Dryden.
I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. --Swift.
2. To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame.
Bodies . . . stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. --Sir I. Newton.
3. To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion.
I desire only to have things fairly represented as they really are; no evidence smothered or stifled. --Waterland.
stifling
adj : characterized by oppressive heat and humidity; "the summer
was sultry and oppressive"; "the stifling atmosphere";
"the sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm"
[syn: sultry, sulfurous, sulphurous]
n : forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority;
"the suppression of heresy"; "the quelling of the
rebellion"; "the stifling of all dissent" [syn: suppression,
crushing, quelling]