English Dictionary

stifle

/ˈstaɪfl̩/

verb

(transitive, also figuratively) To make (an animal or person) unconscious or cause (an animal or person) death by preventing breathing; to smother, to suffocate.

She tried to stifle a yawn during the boring lecture.

意味（1）

(transitive, also figuratively) To make (an animal or person) unconscious or cause (an animal or person) death by preventing breathing; to smother, to suffocate.

I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room.

意味（2）

(transitive, hyperbolic) To cause (someone) difficulty in breathing, or a choking or gagging feeling.

The heat was stifling the children.

意味（3）

(transitive, also figuratively) To prevent (a breath, cough, or cry, or the voice, etc.) from being released from the throat.

意味（4）

(transitive) To make (something) unable to be heard by blocking it with some medium.

意味（5）

(transitive) To keep in, hold back, or repress (something).

The army stifled the rebellion.

意味（6）

(transitive) To prevent (something) from being revealed; to conceal, to hide, to suppress.

意味（7）

(transitive, agriculture (sericulture)) To treat (a silkworm cocoon) with steam as part of the process of silk production.

意味（8）

(intransitive) To die of suffocation.

Two firemen tragically stifled in yesterday’s fire when trying to rescue an old lady from her bedroom.

意味（9）

(intransitive, hyperbolic) To feel smothered; to find it difficult to breathe.

The heat felt stifling.