strangle
UK: ˈstræŋ.ɡəl | US: ˈstræŋ.ɡəl
vt. to kill by squeezing the throat to prevent breathing
vt. to suppress or stifle something (e.g., freedom, growth)
The word "strangle" traces back to Latin strangulare, derived from stringere ("to bind or tighten"). The root strang- reflects the action of constriction, while -le is a frequentative suffix in English, indicating repeated or intense action. The word’s evolution vividly captures the imagery of tightening or suffocating, later extending metaphorically to suppression.
The murderer attempted to strangle the victim with a rope.
Overregulation can strangle innovation in small businesses.
She felt a scarf strangle her neck when it caught in the machinery.
The dictator’s policies strangled free speech in the country.
Vines strangled the tree, cutting off its sunlight.