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.
stīfla 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.
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.
stīfla 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.
