Definitions for stifle
ˈstaɪ fəlsti·fle

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. stifle, kneeverb

   joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee

2. smother, stifle, strangle, muffle, repressverb

   conceal or hide

   "smother a yawn"; "muffle one's anger"; "strangle a yawn"

3. stifle, dampenverb

   smother or suppress

   "Stifle your curiosity"

4. suffocate, stifle, asphyxiate, chokeverb

   impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of

   "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children"

5. suffocate, stifle, asphyxiateverb

   be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen

   "The child suffocated under the pillow"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. stiflenoun

   A hind knee of various mammals, especially horses.

2. stiflenoun

   A bone disease of this region.

3. stifleverb

   To interrupt or cut off.

4. stifleverb

   To repress, keep in or hold back.

   The army stifled the rebellion.

5. stifleverb

   To smother or suffocate.

   The heat was stifling the children.

6. stifleverb

   To feel smothered etc.

   The heat felt stifling.

7. stifleverb

   To die of suffocation.

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

8. stifleverb

   To treat a silkworm cocoon with steam as part of the process of silk production.

9. Etymology: From stiflen, from stífla, from stífla, from stīfilaz, from steip-. Cognate with stífla, stivla, stipel, stipe.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. To Stifleverb

   Etymology: estoufer, French.

   1. To oppress or kill by closeness of air; to suffocate.

   Where have you been broiling?
   —— Among the croud i’ th’ abbey, where a finger
   Cou’d not be wedg’d in more; I am stifled
   With the mere rankness of their joy. William Shakespeare.

   Pray’r against his absolute decree,
   No more avails than breath against the wind;
   Blown stifling back on him that breathes it forth. John Milton.

   That part of the air that we drew out, left the more room for the stifling steams of the coals to be received into it. Boyle.

   Stifled with kisses a sweet death he dies. Dryden.

   At one time they keep their patients so close and warm, as almost to stifle them with care; and all on a sudden, the cold regimen is in vogue. Thomas Baker.

   I took my leave, being half stifled with the closeness of the room. Jonathan Swift, Account of Partridge’s Death.

   2. To keep in; to hinder from emission.

   Whilst bodies become coloured by reflecting or transmitting this or that sort of rays more copiously than the rest, they stop and stifle in themselves the rays which they do not reflect or transmit. Isaac Newton, Opticks.

   3. To extinguish by hindering communication.4. To extinguish by artful or gentle means.

   Every reasonable man will pay a tax with chearfulness for stifling a civil war in its birth. Joseph Addison, Freeholder.

   5. To suppress; to conceal.

   If’t prove thy fortune, Polydore, to conquer,
   Trust me, and let me know thy love’s success,
   That I may ever after stifle mine. Thomas Otway, Orphan.

   These conclusions have been acknowledged by the disputers themselves, till with labour and study they had stifled their first convictions. John Rogers.

   You excel in the art of stifling and concealing your resentment. Jonathan Swift.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Stiflenoun

   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

2. Stifleverb

   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

3. Stifleverb

   to stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame

4. Stifleverb

   to suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion

5. Stifleverb

   to die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration

6. Etymology: [From Stiff.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Stifle

   stī′fl, v.t. to stop the breath of by foul air or other means: to suffocate, smother: to extinguish: to suppress the sound of: to destroy: to suppress, conceal.—v.i. to suffocate.—adj. Stī′fling, close, oppressive. [Scand., Ice. stífla, to choke up; Norw. stivla.]

2. Stifle

   stī′fl, n. the knee-joint on a horse's hind-leg, a disease of his knee-pan. [Perh. stiff.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Stifle

   In horses, cattle, and other quadrupeds, the joint between the femur and the tibia, corresponding to the human knee.

Matched Categories

1. • Die
   • Obstruct

Anagrams for stifle »

1. filets, fliest, itself

How to pronounce stifle?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say stifle in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of stifle in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of stifle in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of stifle in a Sentence

1. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu:

   We are educated in the grossest ignorance, and no art omitted to stifle our natural reason; if some few get above their nurses instructions, our knowledge must rest concealed and be as useless to the world as gold in the mine.

2. Jeff Paine:

   Overly prescriptive regulation and onerous compliance obligations... would act as market barriers and stifle growth and competitiveness.

3. Richard Hunt:

   CBA does not believe it is in the best interest of consumers to have a new Director with each change in Administration. This whip-saw effect will stifle innovation and prevent consistent regulations.

4. Pope Francis:

   Do not be afraid to help one another. The devil is looking for rivalry, division, gangs. Keep working to make progress ... I have seen how pain does not stifle the hope deep within the human heart and how life goes on, finding new strength even in the midst of difficulties.

5. Anuj Somany:

   Fools misguide themselves via a stupid thinking that by intentionally ignoring the insightful voice of the wise they can stifle his progress.

Popularity rank by frequency of use