Verb: asphyxiate us'fik-see,eyt or as'fik-see,eyt
- Be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen
"The child asphyxiated under the pillow";
- suffocate, stifle
- Deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
"Othello asphyxiated Desdemona with a pillow";
- smother, suffocate
- Impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of
"The foul air was slowly asphyxiating the children";
- suffocate, stifle, choke
Derived forms: asphyxiated, asphyxiates, asphyxiating
Type of: block, buy the farm [N. Amer, informal], cash in [informal], cash in one's chips [informal], close up, conk [informal], cop it [Brit, informal], croak [informal], decease [archaic], die, drop dead [informal], exit, expire, flatline [informal], give up the ghost [informal], go, impede, jam, kick the bucket [informal], kill, obstruct, obturate, occlude, pass, pass away, pass on, perish, pop off [informal], pop one's clogs [informal], snuff it [informal]
Encyclopedia: Asphyxiate