asphyxiate
pronunciation
How to pronounce asphyxiate in British English: UK [əsˈfɪksieɪt]
How to pronounce asphyxiate in American English: US [æsˈfɪksiˌet]
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- Verb:
- deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
- impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of
- be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
Word Origin
- asphyxiate (v.)
- 1818, "to suffocate" (someone or something), from asphyxia + -ate (2). Related: Asphyxiated; asphyxiating.
Example
- 1. Business must adapt to this new psychology or asphyxiate .
- 2. Carbon dioxide in pure form can asphyxiate because it is heavier than air .
- 3. Until the chains nearly asphyxiate you .
- 4. As its rivals steadily asphyxiate , amazon is ringing up 50 percent growth in quarterly revenues , and could reach $ 50 billion in sales this year .
- 5. Some day an equity firm is going to come in and find all these airy spaces and plug them up for greater efficiency , and then , after a brief , bright inflation of value , the thing will turn gray , asphyxiate and die .