étouffer

[etufe]
verbe transitif

[asphyxier - personne, animal]
le bébé a été étouffé
a. [accident] the baby suffocated to death
b. [meurtre] the baby was smothered
mourir étouffé to die of suffocation, to choke to death
ne le serre pas si fort, tu l'étouffes! (humoristique) don't hug him so hard, you'll smother him!

ce n'est pas la politesse qui l'étouffe (familier & humoristique) politeness isn't exactly his strong point
ça t'étoufferait de dire bonjour/de ranger ta chambre? would it kill you to say hello/to tidy your room?

2.	[oppresser - suj: famille, entourage] to smother [ - suj: ambiance] to stifle

3.	[émouvoir fortement] la colère/l'émotion l'étouffe he's choking with anger/emotion

4.	[arrêter, atténuer - feu] to put out (separable), to smother [ - bruit] to muffle, to deaden [ - cris, pleurs, sentiment, rire] to stifle, to hold back (separable) [ - voix] to lower [ - révolte, rumeur] to quash [ - scandale] to hush ou to cover up (separable)

étouffer

[etufe]
verbe intransitif

1.	[s'asphyxier] to suffocate, to choke j'ai failli étouffer en avalant de travers I almost choked on my food étouffer de : étouffer de colère/jalousie to choke with anger/jealousy

2.	[avoir chaud] to suffocate, to be gasping for air

3.	[être oppressé] to feel stifled

s'étouffer

verbe pronominal intransitif
to choke
une sardine et une demi-tomate, on ne risque pas de s'étouffer! (humoristique) a sardine and half a tomato! there's no fear of us choking on that!