Found 2 items, similar to stifle.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: stifle stifle n : joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee [syn: knee] stifle v 1: conceal or hide; “smother a yawn”; “muffle one's anger”; “strangle a yawn” [syn: smother, strangle, muffle, repress] 2: smother or suppress; “Stifle your curiosity” [syn: dampen] [ant: stimulate] 3: impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of; “The foul air was slowly suffocating the children” [syn: suffocate, asphyxiate, choke] 4: be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen; “The child suffocated under the pillow” [syn: suffocate, asphyxiate]
English → English (gcide) Definition: Stifle Stifle \Sti"fle\, n. [From Stiff.] (Far.) 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. [1913 Webster] Stifle \Sti"fle\, 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. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Stifle \Sti"fle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stifling.] [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. st[=i]fla to dam up.] 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. [1913 Webster] Stifled with kisses, a sweet death he dies. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. --Swift. [1913 Webster] 2. 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. --Sir I. Newton. [1913 Webster] 3. 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. --Waterland. [1913 Webster]