strangle

(straŋ′gəl)

to kill by squeezing the throat as with the hands, a noose, etc., so as to shut off the breath; throttle; choke
to suffocate or choke in any manner
to suppress, stifle, or repress: free speech strangled by tyranny

Origin: ME stranglen < OFr estrangler < L strangulare < Gr strangalan < strangalē, halter < strangos, twisted: see strong

intransitive verb

to be strangled

Related Forms:

See strangle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb stran·gled, stran·gling, stran·gles

verb, transitive

a. To kill by squeezing the throat so as to choke or suffocate; throttle.
b. To cut off the oxygen supply of; smother.
To suppress, repress, or stifle: strangle a scream.
To inhibit the growth or action of; restrict: “That artist is strangled who is forced to deal with human beings solely in social terms” (James Baldwin).

verb, intransitive