STIFLING

sultry, stifling, sulfurous, sulphurous

(adjective) characterized by oppressive heat and humidity; “the summer was sultry and oppressive”; “the stifling atmosphere”; “the sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm”

suppression, crushing, quelling, stifling

(noun) forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority; “the suppression of heresy”; “the quelling of the rebellion”; “the stifling of all dissent”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Adjective

stifling (comparative more stifling, superlative most stifling)

That stifles.

Verb

stifling

present participle of stifle

Noun

stifling (plural stiflings)

The act by which something is stifled.

Anagrams

• filsting, fistling, flitings, liftings

Source: Wiktionary


STIFLE

Sti"fle, n. Etym: [From Stiff.] (Far.)

Definition: 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. Stifle bone, a small bone at the stifle joint; the patella, or kneepan.

Sti"fle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stifled; p. pr. & vb. n. Stifling.] Etym: [Freq. of OE. stif stiff; cf. Icel. stifla 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. 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.

Sti"fle, v. i.

Definition: To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. You shall stifle in your own report. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 January 2025

MEGALITH

(noun) memorial consisting of a very large stone forming part of a prehistoric structure (especially in western Europe)


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Coffee Trivia

In 1884, Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy, demonstrated the first working example of an espresso machine.

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