Hypertext Webster Gateway: "stifling"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

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.

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.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

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: "suppression of liberal newspapers";
"quelling of the revolution" [syn: {suppression}, {crushing},
{quelling}]

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