suffocate
Use Suffocate in a sentence
əˌkeɪt verb (used with object)
1.
to kill by preventing the access of air to the blood through the lungs or analogous organs, as gills; strangle.
2.
to impede the respiration of.
3.
to discomfort by a lack of fresh or cool air.
4.
to overcome or extinguish; suppress.
verb (used without object)
5.
to become suffocated; stifle; smother.
6.
to be uncomfortable due to a lack of fresh or cool air.
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Suffocate
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is fletcherise. Does it mean:
| to flee; abscond: |
| to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly. |
Origin:
1520–30; < Latin suffōcātus (past participle of suffōcāre to choke, stifle), equivalent to suf- suf- + -fōc- (combining form of fauc-, stem of faucēs throat) + -ātus -ate1
1520–30; < Latin suffōcātus (past participle of suffōcāre to choke, stifle), equivalent to suf- suf- + -fōc- (combining form of fauc-, stem of faucēs throat) + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
suf·fo·cat·ing·ly, adverb
suf·fo·ca·tion, noun
suf·fo·ca·tive, adjective
un·suf·fo·cat·ed, adjective
un·suf·fo·ca·tive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To suffocate
Collins
World English Dictionary
suffocate (ˈsʌfəˌkeɪt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to kill or be killed by the deprivation of oxygen, as by obstruction of the air passage or inhalation of noxious gases |
| 2. | to block the air passages or have the air passages blocked |
| 3. | to feel or cause to feel discomfort from heat and lack of air |
| [C16: from Latin suffōcāre, from | |
| 'suffocating | |
| —adj | |
| 'suffocatingly | |
| —adv | |
| suffo'cation | |
| —n | |
| 'suffocative | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
suffocate suf·fo·cate (sŭf'ə-kāt')
v. suf·fo·cat·ed, suf·fo·cat·ing, suf·fo·cates
To impair the respiration of; asphyxiate.
To suffer from lack of oxygen; to be unable to breathe.
suf'fo·ca'tion n.
suf'fo·ca'tive adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences from the web
Later they find their family and friends trapped, soon to suffocate to death.
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