smother
pronunciation
How to pronounce smother in British English:
UK [ˈsmʌðə(r)]
How to pronounce smother in American English:
US [ˈsmʌðər]
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- Noun:
- a confused multitude of things
- a stifling cloud of smoke
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- Verb:
- envelop completely
- deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
- conceal or hide
- form an impenetrable cover over
- deprive of the oxygen necessary for combustion
Word Origin
- smother (v.)
- c. 1200, "to suffocate with smoke," from smother (n.), earlier smorthre "dense, suffocating smoke" (late 12c.), from stem of Old English smorian "to suffocate, choke, strangle, stifle," cognate with Middle Dutch smoren, German schmoren; possibly connected to smolder. Meaning "to kill by suffocation in any manner" is from 1540s; sense of "to extinguish a fire" is from 1590s. Sense of "stifle, repress" is first recorded 1570s; meaning "to cover thickly (with some substance)" is from 1590s. Related: Smothered; smothering.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Julie cringed , but managed to smother a slight smirk .
- 2. It was used to smother your daughter .
- 3. Perhaps lollie hadn 't made up that tale about little sister trying to smother her with a pillow .
- 4. I was born to smother you with flowers .
- 5. According to the program 's manager , dr. matt goodman , an electric field destabilizes the flame 's underlying structure rather than blanketing the fire to smother it .