suffoquer

suffocate, choke

verb soo-foh-KAY Rare

Origin: Latin suffocare

Also means

be stifled (figurative)

Usage Note

Suffoquer is used both literally (to struggle for breath) and figuratively — suffoquer d'indignation ('to be choked with indignation') is common in written French. Note that it can be transitive (la fumée le suffoquait) or intransitive (il suffoquait).

Examples

"La fumée nous faisait suffoquer."

Natural Translation

The smoke was making us choke.

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