strangle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To kill or hurt someone by squeezing their throat so they cannot breathe.

   The attacker tried to strangle his victim with a rope.

2. 2
   verb

   To stop or hold back something, such as a feeling or growth.

   He strangled a scream as he saw the spider.

From Middle English stranglen, from Old French estrangler, from Latin strangulō, strangulāre, from Ancient Greek στραγγαλόομαι (strangalóomai, “to be strangled”), from στραγγάλη (strangálē, “a halter”); compare στραγγός (strangós, “twisted”) and string. Displaced Middle English wirien, awurien (“to strangle”) (> English worry).

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