Smother and Strangle

coloradayHe was smothered,or perhaps strangled.

What is the difference between "be smothered" and "be strangled"?

To smother someone means to kill them by covering their face with something so that they cannot breathe.

A father was secretly filmed as he tried to smother his six-week-old son in hospital.

= suffoc

Hi Coloraday,

If he died because he was smothered, then his nose and mouth were covered in such a way that he could not breathe.

If he died because he was strangled, then he was probably unable to breathe because someone blocked the passage of air in his throat -- by squeezing his neck with their hands or with a rope, for example.

It's also possible that someone who died by strangulation expired from a lack of oxygen to the brain, when his carotid arteries were forced closed. I believe there are strangulation techniques which do not block the air passage.

You know, I don't even want to know why you know that.

I'm going to assuem too many episodes of CSI.

Gimme a break, GG. I've never even came close to strangling anyone. Besides, it's preferable to block the air passage so your victim can't scream.

Edit. "I've never even come close"

I wrote it correctly, and later misread it.

BTW, Smothering is often ac