Definition

1. Verb:
   • To stifle: To suppress or prevent something from developing, expressing itself, or breathing freely. It often refers to abstract concepts like freedom, creativity, or growth.
   • To strangle: To constrict or compress tightly, preventing airflow or movement. This can be a literal physical action or a metaphorical one.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Chế độ đó bóp nghẹt quyền tự do ngôn luận. (That regime stifles freedom of speech.)
  • Cây leo bóp nghẹt thân cây cổ thụ. (The vine is strangling the trunk of the ancient tree.)
  • Luật lệ hà khắc bóp nghẹt sự sáng tạo. (Harsh regulations stifle creativity.)

Advanced Usage

• The verb is often used in political, social, or ideological contexts to describe the forceful suppression of movements, rights, or ideas.
  • Âm mưu bóp nghẹt cuộc nổi dậy. (The plot to strangle the uprising.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bóp cổ (v): To strangle by the neck (often more literal).
  • Hắn định bóp cổ nạn nhân. (He tried to strangle the victim by the neck.)

Synonyms

• Stifle: To suppress, curb, or suffocate.
• Strangle: To throttle, choke, or constrict.
• Suppress: To put an end to by force.
• Smother: To stifle or suffocate.

Related Idioms

• While "bóp nghẹt" itself is not typically part of a longer idiom, its meaning is central to expressions describing suppression.
  • Bóp chết từ trong trứng nước: To nip in the bud (lit. to crush/squeeze to death while still in the egg). This conveys a similar idea of preventing development at an early stage.

verb

1. To stiffle, to strangle