stifle: [14] Stiffle was probably adapted from Old French estouffer ‘choke, smother’. This in turn went back to a Vulgar Latin *extuffāre, which may have been a blend of *extūfāre ‘take a steam bath’ (source of English stew) and late Latin stuppāre ‘stop up, plug’ (source of English stop and stuff). => stew, stop, stuff
stifle (v.)
late 14c., "to choke, suffocate, drown," of uncertain origin, possibly an alteration of Old French estouffer "to stifle, smother" (Modern French étouffer), itself of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Germanic source (compare Old High German stopfon "to plug up, stuff"). Metaphoric sense is from 1570s. Related: Stifled; stifling.
中文解释
1. It may have been a blend of *extufus 'take a steam bath' (source of English stew and stove) and late Latin stuppare 'stop up, plug' (source of English stop and stuff).2. stiff, stuff => stif- + -le (diminutive suffix) => stifle.3. 谐音“使袋封”------把袋子封死，使其窒息而死。
实用例句
1. His hand shot to his mouth to stifle a giggle.
他赶紧捂住嘴，不让自己笑出声来。
来自柯林斯例句
2. It is best to stifle curiosity and leave birds' nests alone.
最好能克制住好奇心，不要去碰鸟巢。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Critics have accused the US of trying to stifle debate.