Stifle word meaning and definition

[noun] joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee
[verb] smother or suppress; "Stifle your curiosity"
[verb] conceal or hide; "smother a yawn"; "muffle one's anger"; "strangle a yawn"

\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}. {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}.] [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.
\Sti"fle\, v. i. To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration. You shall stifle in your own report. --Shak.

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