Suffocation

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Suffocation \Suf`fo*ca"tion\, n. [L. suffocatio: cf. F.
     suffocation.]
     The act of suffocating, or the state of being suffocated;
     death caused by smothering or choking.
     [1913 Webster]
  


     Note: The term suffocation is sometimes employed synonymously
           with asphyxia. In the strict medico-legal sense it
           signifies asphyxia induced by obstruction of the
           respiration otherwise than by direct pressure on the
           neck (hanging, strangulation) or submersion (drowning).
           --Quain.
           [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  suffocation
       n 1: killing by depriving of oxygen [syn: {asphyxiation}]
       2: the condition of being derprived of oxygen (as by having
          breathing stopped) [syn: {asphyxiation}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  42 Moby Thesaurus words for "suffocation":
     abolishment, abolition, annihilation, annulment, asphyxia,
     asphyxiation, burking, choke, choking, choking off, deracination,
     drowning, elimination, eradication, extermination, extinction,
     extinguishment, extirpation, garrote, killing, liquidation,
     liver death, megadeath, negation, nullification, purge,
     rooting out, serum death, silencing, smotheration, smothering,
     snuffing out, starvation, stifling, strangling, strangulation,
     suppression, throttling, uprooting, violent death, voiding,
     watery grave