1. (v. t.) To compress the windpipe of (a person or animal) until death results from stoppage of respiration; to choke to death by compressing the throat, as with the hand or a rope.

2. (v. t.) To stifle, choke, or suffocate in any manner.

3. (v. t.) To hinder from appearance; to stifle; to suppress.

4. (v. i.) To be strangled, or suffocated.

OD abbreviate asphyxiate bang bar barricade batten batten down be killed behead block block up blockade bolt bottle up bowstring burke burn button button up censor chock choke choke off circumscribe clamp down on clap close close off close tight close up coarct compact compress concentrate condense consolidate constrict constringe contain contract cork cork up cover crack down on cramp crowd crucify crush curtail damp down debar decapitate decollate decrease defenestrate deflate disarm dog draw draw in draw together drown electrocute enchain execute extinguish famish fasten fold fold up gag garrote guillotine hamstring handcuff hobble hog-tie hold down inflict capital punishment jam jump on keep down keep under key kill knit knock out lapidate latch lock lock out lock up manacle muffle muzzle narrow obstruct occlude pack padlock paralyze plumb pour water on prostrate pucker pucker up purse put down put out put to death quash quell quench reduce repress seal seal off seal up secure shoot shorten shush shut shut down on shut off shut out shut the door shut tight shut up silence sit down on sit on slam smash smother snap snuff out solidify squash squeeze squeeze shut squelch stamp out stanch starve stifle stone stop the breath stop up strangulate stultify subdue suffocate suppress throttle trample out trample underfoot truss up wrinkle zip up zipper