strangle

views updated Jun 11 2018

stran·gle / ˈstranggəl/ • v. [tr.] squeeze or constrict the neck of (a person or animal), esp. so as to cause death: the victim was strangled with a scarf. ∎  [as adj.] (strangled) sounding as though the speaker's throat is constricted: a series of strangled gasps. ∎  suppress (an impulse, action, or sound): she strangled a sob. ∎  hamper or hinder the development or activity of: overrestrictive policies that strangle growth.DERIVATIVES: stran·gler / ˈstrangg(ə)lər/ n.

strangle

views updated Jun 08 2018

strangle XIII. Aphetic — OF. estrangler (mod. étrangler) — L. strangulāre — Gr. straggalān, rel. to straggálē halter.
So strangulation XVI. -L.