Decrease and Stifle

noun

• A change downward.
  • usage: "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided"; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
  • synonyms: lessening, drop-off
• A process of becoming smaller or shorter.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The amount by which something decreases.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The act of decreasing or reducing something.
  • synonyms: diminution, reduction, step-down

verb

• Decrease in size, extent, or range.
  • usage: "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
  • synonyms: diminish, lessen, fall
• Make smaller.
  • usage: "He decreased his staff"
  • synonyms: lessen, minify

• (v.t.) To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
• (v.) A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
• (n.) To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc. or in strength, quality or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
• (v.) The wane of the moon.

noun

• Joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee.
  • synonyms: knee

verb

• Conceal or hide.
  • usage: "smother a yawn"; "muffle one's anger"; "strangle a yawn"
  • synonyms: smother, strangle, muffle, repress
• Smother or suppress.
  • usage: "Stifle your curiosity"
  • synonyms: dampen
• Impair the respiration of or obstruct the air passage of.
  • usage: "The foul air was slowly suffocating the children"
  • synonyms: suffocate, asphyxiate, choke
• Be asphyxiated; die from lack of oxygen.
  • usage: "The child suffocated under the pillow"
  • synonyms: suffocate, asphyxiate

• (v.t.) To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame.
• (v.t.) To stop the breath of by crowding something into the windpipe or introducing an irrespirable substance into the lungs; to choke; to suffocate; to cause the death of by such means; as, to stifle one with smoke or dust.
• (v.t.) To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion.
• (v.i.) To die by reason of obstruction of the breath or because some noxious substance prevents respiration.
• (n.) The joint next above the hock, and near the flank, in the hind leg of the horse and allied animals; the joint corresponding to the knee in man; -- called also stifle joint. See Illust. under Horse.