Smother Definition

smŭthər
smothered, smothering, smothers
verb
smothered, smothering, smothers
To suffocate (another).
American Heritage
To keep from getting enough air to breathe; stifle.
Webster's New World
To be kept from getting enough air to breathe.
Webster's New World
To deprive (a fire) of the oxygen necessary for combustion.
American Heritage
To die in this way; be suffocated.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
noun
smothers
Dense, suffocating smoke or any thick cloud of dust, steam, fog, etc.
Webster's New World
A confused turmoil; welter.
Webster's New World
A smoldering fire.
Webster's New World
A smoldering state or condition.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Smother

Noun

Singular:
smother
Plural:
smothers

Origin of Smother

  • From Middle English smothren, smortheren, alteration (due to smother, smorther (“a suffocating vapour, dense smoke", noun)) of Middle English smoren (“to smother"), from Old English smorian (“to smother, suffocate, choke"), from Proto-Germanic *smurōnÄ… (“to suffocate, strangle"). Cognate with Middle Low German smoren, smurten (“to choke, suffocate"), West Flemish smoren (“to smoke, reek"), Dutch smoren (“to suffocate, smother", also "to stew, simmer"), German schmoren (“to stew, simmer, braise").

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English smother, smorther (“a suffocating vapour, dense smoke"), from Old English *smorþor (“smoke", literally “that which suffocates"), from smorian (“to suffocate, choke") + -þor (instrumental suffix).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English smotheren from smorther dense smoke smolder

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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