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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

to stifle something

Hello,
Is it true that we can't really use stifle in contexts, in which someone is trying not to show his/her emotions? As in:
- Molly pressed her hand against her mouth to stifle her snobs.
- He managed to stifle a yawn.
- Stifling her impatience, she waited another half an hour.
- She had to stifle a smile when they appeared.
- She stifled the urge to scream.
Is it true we can't use it this way? I was told by a native speaker that it is only used in reference to speech or laughter. Nothing else.
  

Top answer

What you were told is incorrect. org/dictionary/british/stifle

  • What you were told is incorrect.
  • org/dictionary/british/stifle
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3 Answers
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What you were told is incorrect.

Have a look at the second meaning of "stifle" here:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/stifle
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I know, that's the dictionary I use. He said that he did not care about what the dictionary said. It's just confusing. I was told that absolutely nothing in the dictionaries was true and that it cannot be trusted.
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Gene93I was told that absolutely nothing in the dictionaries was true and that it cannot be trusted.
That's yet another complete fallacy!
Your "native speaker" is simply wrong.

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