stifle
//ˈstaɪ.fəl//
Verb
stifleInfinitive
stiflePresent tense
stifledPast tense
stifledPast participle
stiflingPresent participle
stiflesThird-person singular
1
To suppress or restrain something, such as a feeling, action, or sound.
She tried to stifle a yawn during the meeting.
2
To prevent something from developing, growing, or continuing.
The strict rules stifle creativity in the workplace.
3
To make someone feel unable to breathe properly; to suffocate.
The thick smoke stifled the firefighters as they entered the building.
Noun
1
The joint in the hind leg of a horse or other quadruped, corresponding to the knee in humans.
The veterinarian examined the horse's stifle for signs of injury.